Bengaluru: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said initiatives like Digital India can succeed and effective implementation of central schemes in states is possible only if a similar ideology and government prevails in both states and the centre.
If Karnataka wants to reap the benefits of development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) must return to power in the southern state in this year’s elections, Adityanath said at the BJP’s Parivarthana Yatra—a 75-day tour undertaken by the party’s state president B.S.Yeddyurappa.
Yeddyurappa and the BJP have increased their attacks on the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government before Karnataka elections.
Siddaramaiah, also touring many parts of the state, on Sunday took to Twitter to share his thoughts on Adityanath. “I welcome UP CM Shri @myogiadityanath to our state. There is a lot you can learn from us Sir. When you are here please visit a Indira Canteen & a ration shop. It will help you address the starvation deaths sometimes reported from your state. #YogiInBengaluru,” Siddaramaiah tweeted.
Adityanath said Hindutva was a way of life and did not discriminate based on religion and caste.
“I want to ask the chief minister, if you are Hindu and promote Hindutva, then why are you promoting the consumption of beef,” Adityanath said. He said that when the BJP was in power in Karnataka (2008-13), the government took a decision to end cow slaughter, but this was discontinued after the Congress won in 2013.
Both the BJP and the Congress have tried to carry out outreach programmes to communities like backward classes, minorities and Dalits, among other sections of society to muster support in the upcoming elections.
“When elections come and they see your strength, they want to divide you on religion and other issues. Congress has become a burden, a big problem for this country,” Adityanath said. He added that the Congress party treated Karnataka like an automated teller machine, cashing in on votebank politics.