Gorakhpur: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Samajwadi Party and Congress over issues of faith, governance and development, saying those who attacked faith while they were in power are now taking the contract to become the greatest defenders of faith.Addressing a public gathering, the CM said: “Sermons on faith coming from Congress and SP leaders sound absurd. During its rule, the SP created obstacles in the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple movement and ordered firing on Ram bhakts. Congress questioned the existence of Lord Ram and even engaged a lawyer in the Supreme Court against the temple movement. With what face are these people talking about faith?”Yogi was speaking after inaugurating four development projects and laying the foundation stones for 10 more projects worth Rs 995 crore. Among the key projects inaugurated were the Rs 429.49-crore six-lane flyover and the four-laning of the Padleganj–Firaq Gorakhpuri route. New projects include a working women’s hostel, a science museum and a railway underpass.Yogi also criticised previous govts over law and order, encephalitis, employment and sugar mill closures. “The Congress and SP, during their govts, not only played with people’s faith but also deprived the youth of jobs and employment and snatched away the rights of Annadata farmers. They created a crisis for the safety of sisters, daughters, and traders. Before 2017, Uttar Pradesh witnessed riots almost every day, and anarchy had reached its peak. Riots would erupt during festivals such as Holi, Durga Puja, Vijayadashami, Ram Navami, and Krishna Janmashtami, and kanwar yatras were not allowed to take place. Today, these very parties are delivering grand but absurd sermons on faith.”He also attacked the Congress and SP over their indifference towards encephalitis, as well as the poor state of security and investment before 2017.He added that encephalitis had become the destiny of east UP. Thousands of children lost their lives, yet the previous governments slept with cotton stuffed in their ears. They had no time to feel the pain of the people. The exploitation and atrocities committed by the Congress and the SP against children, adolescents, and youth cannot be expressed in words.He said, “The SP govt committed the sin of making the youth unemployed. Even when jobs were advertised, the Saifai syndicate would capture them. The SP not only looted govt jobs but also created an identity crisis for young people, putting their education, employment, business, prosperity, and future under question.Yogi said, “Between 2007 and 2017, the then Congress and SP govts shut down 29 sugar mills in the state. Of these, 21 sugar mills were sold at throwaway prices. The Padrauna Sugar Mill was sold for just Rs 2 crore, whereas the value of its scrap alone was several times higher. The value of its land itself was Rs 200 crore.”Highlighting his govt’s achievements, Yogi said over nine lakh govt jobs had been provided in the last nine years and that industrial investments in GIDA had generated employment opportunities for around 50,000 youths.He said Gorakhpur had undergone a transformation in infrastructure, healthcare and connectivity, citing AIIMS, an improved road network, expanded air services and better railway connectivity.The CM stated, “When a good govt comes to power, good work follows. When good public representatives are elected, the results are positive and progressive. After the double-engine government came to power, encephalitis has been eliminated from Eastern UP. Medical colleges have been established in every district. AIIMS has been built in Gorakhpur, and BRD Medical College has also become an excellent center for medical care.”
