Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath had addressed a public meeting in Palghar, Maharashtra, on May 18 in support of NDA candidate Hemant Savara, a couple of days before the constituency went to the polls in the fifth phase. In his speech, Adityanath launched a no-holds-barred attack on the Muslim community and prided himself on taking down microphones from several mosques and making people offering Namaz disappear from the streets of Uttar Pradesh.
A major part of Adityanath’s speech was about the Ayodhya Ram Temple, other Hindu religious places and future temple projects that the BJP was planning. He told his audience that the country was divided between devotees of the Hindu deity Ram and those against the Hindu god, and that this election would decide which of these two groups would be ruling the country. He also credited Prime Minister Modi with making the Ram Mandir a reality. All of these clearly violated the Model Code of Conduct, which barred political parties from seeking votes on the grounds of religion. Alt News has already reported how the poll panel has been reluctant to take cognizance of rampant MCC violations by BJP leaders, let alone acting against them.
The BJP leader also reiterated the claim made by several other BJP leaders and the Prime Minister himself in the past — that the Congress would take away the wealth of non-Muslims and distribute it to the Muslims. He took this communal statement a step further and classified the Muslims as Rohingyas, Bangladeshis, Pakistanis and Afghanistanis. He also boasted about the UP government’s administering of ‘bulldozer justice’ which was recently praised by PM Modi in a public address in Barabanki.
Excerpts from Yogi Adityanath’s speech at Palghar
5:30: “Last time when I came here, I came in the evening. And this time around when I came for the BJP and NDA Lok Sabha candidate, Chandrashekhar Bawankule brought me here amongst you in the afternoon. This shows that the last time I was here to ensure the ‘sunset of Congress’. And this time, as I have come in the afternoon, it can be said that the ‘Hindavi Swaraj’ that was first established by the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in India, will be fulfilled by Modi ji, koi mai ka laal usko rok nahi payega (no mother’s son can stop it).”
6:43: “You must have seen the construction program for Ram Lalla’s grand temple in Ayodhya. You have seen it, right? (crowd shouts yes). Congress and others in the INDIA bloc, Uddhav ji Thackeray and Pawar saab, what did they use to say? They used to say — ‘Won’t be able to build the temple even after 100 births’ — they used to say so, right? Congress and INDIA alliance parties used to say that this (Ayodhya Ram Temple) won’t happen. But, back then we used to say: ‘Ram Lalla hum ayenge saugandh Ram ki khayenge, ki Mandir wahin…’ (crowd shouts banayenge) [Ram Lalla we’ll come, we swear on Lord Ram’s name that we will build the temple right here]. And we did what we said, didn’t we? Is there any doubt there? (crowd shouts no).”
7:51: “But, what does the INDIA bloc say? Two very dangerous statements have come from them. 1: They have said that if they come to power they would decide the fate of the Ram Temple, to which I said that Ram Lalla would not spare you, you won’t be in a condition to reach Delhi. 2: They always used to fear-monger that if the Ayodhya case verdict came in favour of the Hindus then that could lead to riots and bloodshed. The Supreme Court verdict came out in favour of the Ram Temple, the Prime Minister even laid the foundation there, the construction of the Temple also began, and the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla took place. However, not even a straw moved, let alone a riot.”
9:27: “I also want to tell the INDIA alliance that in the last seven years, there hasn’t been a single riot in Uttar Pradesh. Hence, if with all your blessings and Modi ji’s governance, we could bring (Ram) to Ayodhya, then we can also make happen ‘ram naam satya hai’ (a Hindu mantra uttered while carrying the dead) of mafia and rioters. And this has happened already, right? The mafia that used to rule and threaten there — would cause disorder, was a safety issue for women and businesses, had become a barrier to development there (UP) — we have cleaned them out in one go with a bulldozer.”
10:35: “Today, you must be seeing that all atrocities are over in Uttar Pradesh. Today, no one even thinks about riots over there. Today, no one even performs Namaz on the streets of Uttar Pradesh, mics have also been taken down from the mosques (crowd cheers loudly). In the next five years, you’ll see that people will completely forget that something like this (Azaan mics in mosques) even existed that would cause disturbance and noise, people will forget (crowd shouts Jai Sri Ram).”
12:56: “During the Congress regime, when the Mumbai blasts happened, what did the UPA government say? They would say that the terrorists are ‘across the border’. If they (terrorists) are from ‘across the border’ then when will you use your missile? Modi ji facilitated an airstrike in Pakistan (referring to the Balakot airstrike) which destroyed terrorism completely. You must have also seen a report published in a famous British newspaper that in Pakistan in the last three years several terrorists have been killed and Indian agencies have also contributed to the same. Now, will we worship those who are our enemies? If someone kills our people, we won’t worship them, we will also give them what they deserve.”
16:45: “… today, people in Pakistan are fighting like dogs over 1 kg of atta. Protests are going on there as there is no food for people in Pakistan. So, those who talk about Pakistan, tell them to go beg in Pakistan instead of being a burden to Hindustan.”
19:10: “Here there is safety, respect, development, welfare for the poor and also ‘Virasat’ (heritage or legacy). Ram Lalla‘s great temple has been built in Ayodhya and Kashi Viswanath Temple has been built in Kashi. The relationship between Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh goes way back. No one can separate us. If you remember when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was to be honoured with the title of ‘Chhatrapati’ then Kashi’s Gaga Bhatt contributed to the ceremony. You come to our Kashi, you will find Maratha ghat over there. There you will find ghats built by Maharashtrian kings. The Maratha community, and Maharashtra community there function separately, such varying rituals form Kashi. Today in Kashi you’ll see Baba Viswanath Dham shining. Now, after Kashi and Ayodhya, we are heading towards Mathura.”
21:41: “Uttar Pradesh has the biggest population in the country and there is only one message coming out of there and that is Phir Ek Baar (crowd shouts Modi Sarkar), Abki baar (crowd shouts 400 paar). The slogan of 400 paar has caused concern to Congress, Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, Lalu Prasad and Akhilesh Yadav. They ask the citizens how will we bring 400 paar, and the citizens tell them Jo Ram ko laaye hain (crowd shouts hum unko layenge) [We’ll bring the one who brought Ram]. Modi ji brought Ram, Modi ji brought Ram to Ayodhya.”
22:49: “In this election, do not look at anything. Modi ji has brought forth development and provided safety, respect and welfare for the poor. Now as several statements are coming in from the Congress and the Opposition, this election is getting divided between Ram Bhakts and Ram Drohis (Devotees of Lord Ram and those against Lord Ram). So, we have to decide if Ram Bhakt will rule the country or if Ram Drohis will come back again.”
23:24: “There’s another message that can heard in the country today — Ram Bhakt hi raaj karega Dilli ke singhasan par (Only a devotee of Ram will be in power in Delhi). Modi ji is a devotee of Ram. He was the first Prime Minister who laid the foundation for Ram Temple in Ayodhya. People used to say that this doesn’t suit a PM, but Modi ji would tell them that Ram was our ancestor, our legacy… why won’t I go for Ram Temple’s construction? He went to the inauguration, organised an 11-day-long celebration and built the great temple in Ayodhya.”
CM Yogi Adityanath ended his speech appealing to voters to vote for the BJP and to make sure of the visarjan (immersion/ defeat) of the Congress and INDIA alliance since Ram Lalla had already arrived. He added that while PM Modi was paying homage to the country’s legacy, Congress was saying that they would impose inheritance/legacy tax. “A property that your grandfather and father built, Congress will conduct an x-ray of the property. After the survey, they will take away half of that property and give it to Muslims such as Rohingyas, Bangladeshis, Afghanistanis, and Pakistanis. Is this acceptable to you? (crowd shouts no). Aurangzeb’s soul now possesses the INDIA bloc. Do not let it come. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had anyway conquered Aurangzeb before, hence, you cannot let Aurangzeb and his descendants into Maharashtra again. Do you agree? (crowd says yes). Maharashtra is heading towards the goal of Abki baar 400 paar, right? (crowd says yes).”
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