"No jihad in voting, have to vote for strongest democracy in world": UP CM Yogi

Farrukhabad (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 4 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a fierce attack on the Samajwadi Party (SP), Congress, and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Saturday and said that those who speak about jihad in India should feel ashamed of themselves and should rather go to Pakistan.
CM Yogi further said there is no jihad in voting and that we all should strive to vote for the strongest democracy in the world, so that our rights are protected.
"We should use our voting rights for development, respect, public welfare, and the development of future generations," he said.
Addressing a public meeting in support of Farrukhabad MP and BJP candidate Mukesh Rajput, CM Yogi said that those talking about 'Jihad' in India today drew their inspiration from those responsible for the partition of the country.
He added, "By promoting 'Jihad', they are disrespecting the democratic values of the country."
"Those who have robbed the poor of their rights and have not spared even the disabled are now starting to remember jihad. They should know that it's the land of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna and not 'Jihad," said CM Yogi here on Saturday.
The CM further alleged that the SP and Congress are trying to divide on religious grounds.
"This is a conspiracy for the Islamization of India, and under this, they talk about vote jihad. There is no jihad in voting. We have to vote for the strongest democracy in the world, so that our rights are protected. We should use our voting rights for development, respect, public welfare, and the development of future generations," he said.
CM Yogi further reflected on India's transformation post-2014 and said that before the year 2014, India grappled with a lack of global confidence, terrorism, and naxalism.
He said that before 2014, government schemes often failed to reach the poor, unleashing anarchy in the country.
CM Yogi attributed the problems before 2014 to the then government, accusing them of lacking faith in India's democratic principles and contrasting it with the present government, which is dedicated to working in making India 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat' to bolster the nation's strength.
He criticised those hindering India's progress, highlighting their involvement in corruption within various schemes.
He further said that earlier, when there was an explosion or a terrorist attack, the government attributed them to forces from across the border.
"But today, even when a firecracker explodes in India, clarifications start coming from across the border. Everyone knows that the new India doesn't provoke, but it doesn't back down from those who provoke," he remarked.
The CM also talked about the development of India and Uttar Pradesh and said, "In 2022, it was said that the bridge over the Ganges would start soon. Now, the work has begun. Earlier, Farrukhabad was considered an underdeveloped district. Today, steps have been taken to connect Farrukhabad with an expressway. In 2022, it was also said that the magnificent temple of Ram Lalla would be built in Ayodhya, and the mafia would be eliminated."
CM Yogi said that Congress used to question the existence of Lord Ram, but today, lakhs of people are visiting Ayodhya to have his darshan.
"There is a curfew-free and riot-free environment in Uttar Pradesh. While work is being done to protect and honour villages, the poor, farmers, youth, and women in New India, the INDI alliance is planning to encroach upon their rights," he pointed out.
Uttar Pradesh is gearing up for another round of voting as the third phase of the ongoing general elections approaches.
Scheduled for May 7, this phase will see ten Lok Sabha constituencies heading to the polls.
These include Sambhal, Hathras, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etah, Badaun, Bareilly, and Aonla.