Gayaji, Agency
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday highlighted the BJP’s development record and launched a sharp attack on the RJD-Congress alliance while campaigning for the second phase of Bihar Assembly elections.
“Before 2005, Bihar was gripped by crime, caste conflicts, Maoism and Naxalism. Both Bihar and Uttar Pradesh suffered from a loss of respect at the national and global levels,” the Chief Minister said at the rally in Wazirganj.
“During Lalu Prasad Yadav’s regime, the state witnessed over 60 caste massacres and more than 30,000 kidnappings, leaving businessmen, doctors, engineers, and the elite living in fear.”
Recalling that period as a “dark era of jungle raj,” CM Yogi said that nearly 30–40 per cent of Bihar’s population had migrated to Gorakhpur and Varanasi in search of safety and livelihood.
He added that under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Bihar has laid a strong foundation for good governance over the past two decades. Along with improved road, rail, and air connectivity, new waterway links are further strengthening Bihar’s connection with Uttar Pradesh.
Farmers’ produce and regional specialities such as makhana are now reaching global markets through these waterways.
Addressing the gathering in Gayaji, described by him as “the land of knowledge, liberation, and spirituality,” CM Yogi underlined its sacred significance in the Sanatan tradition, saying, “It is believed that even the ancestors of heaven attain satisfaction upon visiting this holy land.”
Yogi said, "Every true Indian regards Lord Ram as their ancestor. Even when Congress, SP, and RJD opposed the construction of the Ram Temple, Ram devotees courageously declared, “Ram Lalla Hum Ayenge, Lathi Goli Khayenge, Mandir Yahi Banyenge.”
In the Supreme Court, Congress went so far as to claim that Lord Ram never existed, as if the Congress Party was the sole entity that had ever lived, and no one else had ever existed. These parties deny the existence of Ram, Krishna, and Vishnu; they reject the faith of Hindus; therefore, Hindus should reject them in return," said Yogi.
He reminded the audience that it was the RJD that stopped the Ram Temple’s chariot and the SP that ordered firing on Ram devotees, turning Ayodhya red with blood.
After the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh, the long-awaited dream was fulfilled.
The grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi now stand as symbols of faith and pride. Work is also underway in Mathura and Vrindavan to revive their ancient glory, said the UP CM.
Taking a swipe at the SP, Yogi said while its government diverted public funds to construct boundary walls around graveyards, the incumbent BJP regime is using those resources to beautify temples and pilgrimage sites, improve facilities for devotees, and uplift the poor.
Highlighting Bihar’s progress, CM Yogi said, "The state is now home to NITs, IIMs, AIIMS, engineering colleges, and medical institutions. Bihar’s youth are once again earning global recognition through their talent and contributing to the state’s growth."
He stated that over the past 11 years, Prime Minister Modi has balanced both development and heritage. Listing the central government’s welfare initiatives, CM Yogi warned that Congress and RJD are again trying to mislead people with false promises. “First, they looted animal fodder; now, if given a chance, they will loot the rations meant for the poor,” he said.
“Those who are not devoted to Lord Ram are of no use to us. A betrayer of Ram cannot bring Ramrajya; they can only bring back jungle raj.”
Yogi questioned why Bihar, the land that gave the nation stalwarts like Dr Rajendra Prasad, Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan, and Jananayak Karpuri Thakur, still struggles to find its identity.
He said first the Congress, and later the RJD, "looted Bihar, robbed youth of jobs, and drove farmers to despair". Welfare schemes never reached the poor, and instead of public development, they focused on family development — leading to the spread of Naxalism, Maoism, and mafia rule.
Drawing parallels with Uttar Pradesh, CM Yogi stated, "The SP in UP is a close ally of the RJD and Congress. During the SP government, a notorious mafia built massive, fort-like houses on government land in Lucknow.”
“When our government came to power, I asked who had built them. Once identified, we acted. Bulldozers rolled in, the illegal structures were demolished, and homes for the poor were built on that land. Just this morning, on Kartik Purnima, I handed over those houses in Lucknow,” he said.
He said what the SP did in UP, the RJD and Congress did in Bihar, and the only solution to this is the NDA. “These parties thrived by dividing society and forming caste-based armies,” he warned. “Remember, whenever there is division, society suffers.”
Responding to criticism from the opposition over renaming cities, CM Yogi said, “The SP, RJD, and Congress ask why we change names. We do it to restore our civilisational identity. We changed the name of Faizabad to Ayodhya because Ayodhya is the birthplace of Lord Ram, and Faizabad was a symbol of foreign dominance.
"Similarly, the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna was always known as Prayagraj; the Mughals changed it to Allahabad, but we have restored its original name. They are disturbed by this, but we take pride in it.
"Even Congress might soon worry that Wazirganj’s name will be changed. Progress begins with pride in our roots. To move forward, we must honor our heritage and take pride in our ancestors," he said.
000
