Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. (PTI Photo by Nand Kumar)
CHIEF MINISTER Yogi Adityanath on Friday targeted his predecessor Akhilesh Yadav, two days after the former CM had claimed that India was not in a position to take on China.
On Wednesday, while speaking in the Legislative Council, Akhilesh had compared the growth of India with China and said that India at present could not face the “mighty” China.
Addressing the Council on the state Budget amid empty Opposition benches, Adityanath said every Indian will object to such remarks of the former CM, who had praised an “enemy country”.
“On leaders making such irresponsible remarks, Sardar Patel had once said that India’s freedom had more threat from its own people than enemies from outside… Such attitude is dangerous and should be stopped… Bhagwan sadbudhhi de,” he added.
Further, he said that on Wednesday, Akhilesh had said in the House that he does not know how “BJP always convinces Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav)”.
“It’s surprising that he questioned his father… I feel Mulayam Singhji is the one who decided Akhilesh’s fate. He (Mulayam) made him MP and then chief minister. Now, he (Akhilesh) is raising question over his style of work. So, obviously, we do not need to be concerned if he (Akhilesh) questions the working of our government,” Adityanath said.
The state Budget, meanwhile, was passed in the Council in the absence of the Opposition members, who had walked out of the House while accusing the government of not being concerned for the plight of shiksha mitras (adhoc teachers).
Referring to Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura, Pashupatinath and Rameshwaram, the CM said such places were the “centre point of cultural unity” and if Congress, SP and BSP had tried to understand significance of these places, “these parties would not have questioned the Gods”.
Taking on the Opposition, Adityanath said: “They play with nationalism and national security for votebank… this is not happening for the first time… History of SP is full of such blots… Ayodhya mein jab Ram Janmabhoomi par hamla hua tha to kaun nahi jaanta ki apradhi kis gaadi se gaye they aur wo jhanda kis party ka tha (When Ram Janmabhoomi was attacked in Ayodhya everyone knew the culprits escaped on whose cars and displayed whose flags).”
He claimed that SP government had attempted to withdraw cases against terrorists. “In such a situation, how could it be expected that his (Akhilesh) statement on China would honour the nationalism of India. “A person can not forget his sanskars. He has expressed those sanskars and he has praised China, an enemy country,” Adityanath said.
He added that while UP does not need “samajwaad”, the nation needed nationalism. “Nationalism is treatment of communalism and the first step towards nationalism is equality,” he said.
“Ayodhya is in UP but some people object to Ram,” the CM said while referring to his recent visit to the temple town two days ago. “Mujhe meri party ne mukhya mantri bana diya hai to kya aap meri aastha ko kunthit kar denge? (Because I have been made the CM by my party, will you curb my faith),” he asked.
“When will these samajwadis will get sadbudhhi? They seek votes in the name of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia who has ‘Ram’ in his name. But they feel ashamed instead of feeling proud of Lord Ram,” he said.
