Gorakhpur: Chief minister combined his development pitch with a sharp attack on the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, accusing them of misleading people on issues related to democracy and the Constitution while recalling the Emergency imposed in 1975.The CM was addressing a public gathering after inaugurating and laying the foundation of 149 development projects worth around Rs 475 crore at the ancient Baijunath Dham in Banswari village on the banks of the Kuano river in Sant Kabir Nagar’s Dhanghata assembly constituency.Calling June 25, 1975, a “black day” in India’s democratic history, Yogi said the country was observing the 50th anniversary of theEmergency, which was the biggest assault on democratic values and constitutional rights.“The Congress strangled democracy on June 25, 1975. Citizens’ rights were suspended, the judiciary’s powers were curtailed and restrictions were imposed on the media,” he said, adding that democratic institutions were weakened during the period.Targeting Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, the chief minister questioned their right to speak on democracy and constitutional values. He alleged that opposition parties were attempting to mislead the public through “false narratives” on the Constitution.Recalling the Emergency-era crackdown, Yogi said several opposition leaders were jailed for resisting authoritarian rule and defending democracy. He named Jayaprakash Narayan, former prime ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Chandrashekhar and Chaudhary Charan Singh, former deputy prime minister L K Advani, and Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav amongthose imprisoned during the period. “Leaders from different ideologies were sent to jail because they stood against dictatorship and fought for democratic rights,” he said.He credited the Purvanchal Expressway and other road projects with significantly reducing travel time and enhancing economic opportunities in eastern UP. “There was a time when people could not imagine reaching Lucknow in a few hours. Today, this has become possible because development has reached every corner of the state,” he said.Highlighting the govt’s focus on preserving cultural and religious heritage, the CM reiterated his commitment to developing Tameshwarnath Dham into a major spiritual destination. He proposed the construction of a corridor around the shrine on the lines of Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi, Ayodhya Dham and Vindhyavasini Dham in Mirzapur.“The govt’s intention is not to interfere with religious traditions or rituals. Our objective is to ensure that centres of faith receive therecognition and facilities they deserve. A well-planned corridor will accelerate development and boost religious tourism in the region,” he said.Yogi said that, along with preserving heritage, the state govt was investing heavily in infrastructure, education, healthcareand employment generation. Referring to industrial development in Gorakhpur and adjoining areas, he said the expansion of GIDA and Greater GIDA was creating new employment opportunities for thousands of youths in eastern UP.The chief minister said the BJP-led govts at the Centre and in UP were committed to safeguarding constitutional values and ensuring welfare benefits reached every eligible citizen.CM Yogi also announced that UP had received approval for 6.18 lakh additional houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), with beneficiaries set to receive assistance soon.He said the projects dedicated to Dhanghata and neighbouring Khajani constituencies would accelerate development, improve infrastructure and strengthen public services in the region.
