He said that the country has witnessed a "changing India" in the last 10 years (File)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday claimed that the country faced an identity crisis while every citizen's security was under threat during the previous Congress-led government at the Centre.
"Earlier, whenever a terrorist incident took place in the country and the world, its links were invariably established with Azamgarh, defaming the district for no fault of its own," he said, adding that those who defamed Azamgarh stand completely exposed today.
The chief minister was addressing a rally in the Lalganj Lok Sabha constituency in Azamgarh in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek votes for BJP's Azamgarh candidate Dinesh Lal Yadav Nirahua and Lalganj nominee Neelam Sonkar.
Continuing his attack on the opposition, Mr Adityanath said, "The country faced an identity crisis while every individual's security was under threat in the previous Congress governments. Development activities had come to a grinding halt because the Congress-led government was mired in corruption. The poor starved to death while farmers committed suicide as well as daughters and traders were unsafe."
He said that the country has witnessed a "changing India" in the last 10 years, with increased global respect, secure borders, and terrorism and Naxalism having been effectively eradicated.
Highlighting the Modi ki Guarantee', Mr Adityanath said that a university has been built in Azamgarh in the name of Maharaja Suheldev.
Besides, Azamgarh boasts of an airport today and is now connected via the Purvanchal Expressway, he added.
"Azamgarh has transformed into a new symbol of progress within Uttar Pradesh, boasting exceptional four-lane connections to key destinations such as Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, and various other districts.
"Previously, the mention of Azamgarh would elicit shock both nationally and internationally. Back then, residents encountered challenges when travelling domestically or abroad, as even lodging in dharamshalas proved difficult to secure for those hailing from Azamgarh," he said.
"However, under the leadership of PM Modi, Azamgarh residents have experienced a notable elevation in respect and have embraced a renewed sense of identity. This transformation is evidenced by the resounding chant of Ab ki Baar, 400 Paar' echoing across the nation," he said.
Mr Adityanath highlighted the significance of Lord Ram's presence in Ayodhya temple after a 500-year anticipation, which has deeply moved citizens nationwide.
At the rally, UP ministers Surya Pratap Shahi, Dara Singh Chauhan, Om Prakash Rajbhar, MP Sangeeta Azad, and BJP state general secretary Govind Narayan Shukla, among others, were present.
Mr Adityanath also addressed an election rally in Kaushambi. He claimed that whenever the alliance between the Samajwadi Party and the Congress took place, it led to a "pandemic".
"This alliance epitomises 'sin' and is 'narkgami' (hell-bound)," he added.
The SP and Congress, both members of the opposition INDIA bloc, have tied up for the Lok Sabha polls in UP.
Hitting out at the INIDA bloc, Mr Adityanath said, "Their actions are a conspiracy against the nation fuelled by their negative ideologies. The intentions of these individuals pose a grave threat to the nation. I urge voters to transcend party lines and caste considerations, and vote for development."
Referring to the Congress president Maillikarjun Kharge's promise of giving 10 kg free ration, the CM said, "They are promising to provide free ration now while when they were in power, they neglected the poor, leaving them to starve. The Samajwadi Party claims it will offer 'Free Atta and Data', but during their tenure, they operated under the influence of mafias. Whether it was the mining mafia, land mafia, or ration mafia, they allowed these criminal elements to exploit the poor."
Polling in Lalganj and Azamgarh will be held in the sixth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections on May 25 while Kaushambi will vote on May 20.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)