SP and Congress Attacking Sanatan, Silent on Waqf Matters: Adityanath

Pratapgarh (UP), Jul 7 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday slammed the Congress and Samajwadi Party for “attacking” Sanatan and asked why their mouths were “glued shut” when it came to Waqf issues. He was addressing a gathering after inaugurating and laying foundation stones of 111 development projects worth more than Rs 384 crore in Pratapgarh. “Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress, which are attacking the Sanatan faith over alleged theft of offerings at the Ram temple were silent on the Waqf land issue. Why are SP and Congress leaders’ mouths glued shut with Fevicol when it comes to Waqf matters?” he said. Adityanath further alleged that SP wanted to see the Babri ‘gulami dhancha’ (structure), in an apparent reference to the demolished Babri mosque in Ayodhya and said that it was their pain that a grand Ram temple now exists there. “For the past few days, they have been attacking India’s Sanatan faith through their statements. Recall how the Congress once claimed that Lord Ram and Lord Krishna never existed. They supported Babri structure and shed crocodile tears for it. But now, a grand Ram temple stands there, and this pains them,” he said. He said that today, the Congress and the SP have changed their colours “like chameleons”. “Even a chameleon must be feeling ashamed as SP and Congress change their colours faster than it does,” the chief minister said, mocking the two opposition parties for their claim that faith is being undermined in Ayodhya. “How is faith being undermined there? Since when has Ayodhya become an issue of faith for the Congress? Ram devotees have the right to say that Ayodhya is a matter of their faith because their forefathers fought for it. “But the Congress, which denied the very existence of Lord Ram, has no right to speak on the issue. The Samajwadi Party, which had got Ram devotees fired upon, also has no moral authority to lecture on faith,” he claimed. He further appealed to every “conscious citizen” to ask SP and Congress what right they had to talk about faith in Ayodhya. Adityanath said those who diverted funds meant for the restoration of Hindu religious heritage sites to construct boundary walls for graveyards have no right to talk about faith. “The country will no longer fall into the trap of the Congress and the SP. Today’s Ayodhya, in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the double-engine government, reflects the Ayodhya of Lord Ram. The opposition’s real pain is that, despite all its misinformation campaign, millions of people continue to visit Ayodhya. “Sometimes I even wonder whether they are exploiting isolated incidents to insult Hindus and attack their faith,” the chief minister said. He said he wanted to ask the Congress and the SP whether they ever spoke even once about thousands of hectares of land allegedly sold in the name of Waqf in Uttar Pradesh and across the country. “Did they ever raise their voice when (waqf) land that could have benefited the poor was allegedly encroached upon and sold?” he said. On Ram temple donation theft, Adityanath said “The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust had requested the Uttar Pradesh government to constitute an SIT, and I had said the SIT would establish the truth. Based on its preliminary findings, the Trust lodged a complaint, and action has been taken against those against whom evidence was found.” “But why do the Congress and the SP fall silent when it comes to alleged irregularities involving Waqf properties? Why did they never speak when donations made by Hindus were allegedly diverted to build graveyard boundary walls?” he asked. Hew asked if Hindu faith was not hurt “when illegal slaughterhouses operated, when cows were slaughtered and allegedly sold to smugglers?” “Was Hindu faith not hurt when Ram devotees were fired upon or lathi-charged? Was it not hurt when Lord Ram and Lord Krishna were described as imaginary, when Kanwar Yatras were restricted, or when Janmashtami celebrations and Durga Puja pandals were stopped? Will the Congress and the Samajwadi Party answer these questions?” he said. The Trust is managing the temple without any outside interference, and today “we can all see that the grand temple of Lord Ram has taken shape”, the chief minister said. At the programme, he also distributed cheques, Ayushman cards, sewing machines, acceptance letters, house keys and certificates to the beneficiaries of various public welfare schemes.