LUCKNOW: Addressing an election rally in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday alleged that the western district had the potential to become the ‘Kashi of the West’, but was turned into a “hotbed of religious fanaticism by previous dispensations”
Saharnapur is the seat of Dar-ul-Uloom, Asia’s biggest Islamic seminary, based in the Deoband town of the district.
Addressing a rally in Saharanpur on Friday, Adityanath alleged, “From here (Doband) attempts were made to spread chaos and anarchy, with little attention to development.”
He called upon the people of Saharanpur to be wary of individuals who, despite denying the existence of Lord Ram in the Supreme Court, were now chanting his name for electoral gains.
In Saharanpur, the BJP has repeated Raghav Lakhanpal who had won the seat in 2014 but lost it to the BSP candidate Maulana Fazlur Rehman in 2019. The Congress has fielded Imran Masood, who after having brief stints in all the parties in 2022-23, has returned to the Congress fold and got ticket as INDIA bloc candidate.
On the other, BSP, having the sitting MP in Saharanpur, has put the stakes on Majid Ali as Fazlur Rehman was reluctant to contest.
Weaving a narrative around the law and order situation, Adityanath said that efforts were on to confiscate the property of the ancestors of those who dare to play with the future of youth. “It will then be distributed among the poor,” he added.
“Some of the mafia are behind the bars, while others have met their fate.”
While addressing a public meeting in Kairana Lok Sabha constituency, Yogi said: “We have given riot and curfew-free Uttar Pradesh. We have fostered a peaceful and harmonious environment by suppressing those who incite riots and enforce curfews. Let us not allow them to thrive again, as they will only provoke further disturbances through caste-based politics.”
CM Yogi urged people to vote in support of BJP and Rashtriya Lok Dal’s joint candidate Pradeep Chaudhary. Kairana is a Muslim-Jat dominated seat where SP has fielded Ikra Hasan, daughter of former lawmaker Chaudhury Munnawar Hasan and sister of jailed SP MLA Nahid Hasan who has a number of criminal cases lodged against him.
“Congress and SP used to capitulate to them but today they have been sent to their proper place.”
He highlighted the clear division in the ensuing election between two opposing ideologies. “On one side, those driven by caste divisions are there, on the other, are individuals dedicated to nationalism. On one hand, those who intend to tear the social fabric are there, on the other, people who believe in upholding India’s dignity are there working under the leadership of PM Modi.”