To raise the Hindutva pitch in the CPM-ruled Kerala, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath arrived in Kannur on Wednesday and participated in BJP's fortnight-long 'Janaraksha Yatra' to expand its influence in Kerala.
While BJP president Amit Shah launched the march on Tuesday, he had to rush to New Delhi on the second day due to some 'emergency' at the party headquarters. With Adityanath being the top leader deployed by the BJP to make up for the loss of Shah on day two of the rally, we look at some interesting quotes that came from the Uttar Pradesh chief minister.
Political violence and 'Jihadi-Red terror'
On Tuesday, prior to the launch of the padayatra, Shah had highlighted CPM's alleged violence against BJP and RSS workers. He had spoken extensively on political violence in the state, adding that the two parties had lost 120 workers since 2001.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP Kerala president Kummanam Rajasekharan and other national leaders at ‘Janaraksha Yathra’ in Kannur. PTI
Taking further the allegations levelled by the BJP chief, Adityanath on Wednesday said Kerala had been witnessing political violence sponsored by the ruling CPM. "It is in the nature of the Left party to grab power at gunpoint," he said.
He also hailed BJP's campaign against "Jihadi-Red terror" for drawing big crowds, reported NDTV. "There is no scope for violence in a democracy, but, unfortunately, Kerala has been witnessing politically-sponsored violence. With this yatra, we will make people aware about the CPM's misrule," he added.
Hospital deaths
Taking note of the recent Gorakhpur hospital tragedy, CPM had told the Uttar Pradesh chief minister to draw a lesson from Kerala on running government hospitals from Kerala. In a direct attack, Sitaram Yechury had also said that Adityanath should first take care of his own state.
Reacting sharply to CPM's remark, Adityanath on Wednesday claimed that Uttar Pradesh effectively dealt with the threat of dengue and chikungunya while there were over 300 deaths due to dengue in Kerala.
"While Uttar Pradesh effectively checked the menace of dengue and chikungunya, the Left party and its government have failed in providing basic necessities to people in the state," he claimed.
The death of scores of children in government hospitals in Uttar Pradesh, especially in Gorakhpur, had prompted Opposition parties to raise questions on the health services in the northern state.
Love jihad
Leading the Janaraksha Yatra, Adityanath raked up the issue of 'Love Jihad' and said that it was a "dangerous trend" being inadequately dealt with by the CPM government.
"Love Jihad is a dangerous trend. The Supreme Court has already passed an order on it and the NIA is investigating it," News18 quoted the chief minister as saying.
He added that the BJP would not allow Kerala to become a land of 'lal salaam', a term used by communist party members for greeting each other.
Adityanath also vowed that the BJP-RSS would soon turn around the fate of Kerala. “CPM says this soil is red because it is blood-soaked. But it will not last like this. I am telling you this soil will turn into soil of saffron and nationalism,” he said at a rally in Kannur, according to The Indian Express.
He added: “Kannur in Malayalam means land of tears. But I warn you that in the coming days it will be the CPM that will have to shed tears because they are going to be defeated,”
Taj Mahal omission from tourism booklet
The Uttar Pradesh government had recently come under the scanner for failing to feature Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, in its tourism guide. It also cited that earlier in June this year, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister had said that Ramayana and Bhagwad Gita represent the Indian culture and not the Taj Mahal.
However, speaking to The Indian Express, Adityanath refused to accept that the omission of the monument was an issue. "Taj Mahal is a prominent tourist centre. We have initiated a number of schemes for its development," he said.
He told The Times of India that the brochure in picture highlighted a few new projects initiated recently. "Just because the Taj was not mentioned doesn't mean that it is being ignored. These controversies are uncalled for and an attempt to malign the government's image," he said.
With inputs from agencies
Published Date: Oct 05, 2017 09:45 am | Updated Date: Oct 05, 2017 09:45 am
