Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday levelled a slew of unsubstantiated allegations against the Congress, including claims that the grand old party would give minorities the right to eat beef, adding that this amounted to allowing cow slaughter.
"These shameless people promise to provide the right to eat 'gaumaans' (cow's meat), whereas our scriptures call the cow mother. They wish to give cows into the hands of butchers. Will India ever accept this?” An Uttar Pradesh BJP statement quoted Adityanath as saying.
The chief minister claimed they wanted to give minorities the liberty to eat the food of their choice, “meaning they are talking about allowing cow slaughter.”
It's important to note that no state law explicitly prohibits the consumption of beef in the country. The right to food is considered a fundamental right and is protected under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the fundamental right to life and personal liberty. This encompasses the right to consume or possess beef.
It's noteworthy that Uttar Pradesh remains one of the leading states in the country in terms of beef exports. Additionally, it's worth mentioning that a beef exporting company had donated to the BJP through electoral bonds.
Adityanath was addressing an election rally in Bilari in Moradabad district to garner support for BJP candidate Parmeshwar Lal Saini for the Sambhal Lok Sabha seat.
Echoing the recent speeches by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the CM, without any evidence, alleged the Congress intends to seize 'stridhan' (women's wealth) and distribute it among Rohingyas and Bangladeshi infiltrators.
He also claimed the Congress, in its manifesto, has talked about the X-ray of people's property. "This means that if somebody has four rooms in his home, two of those will be taken away by them. Not only this, the Congress says that it will take possession of women's jewellery, the country will never accept this," he said.
They had made such efforts from 2004 to 2014 under the UPA government, Adityanath said.
"They had tried to give a quota to Muslims out of the reservation provided to the SCs, STs and OBCs in Karnataka," he said.
He referred to the Sachar Committee recommendations and said Congress wanted to implement them by giving them a six percent reservation out of the quota for the SCs, STs and OBCs.
It's noteworthy that the 48-page manifesto released by the Congress makes no assertion regarding wealth redistribution nor does it reference the confiscation of private wealth from citizens.
Accusing the Congress of double standards, he claimed that former prime minister Manmohan Singh had said that Muslims have the first right to the country's resources.
The speech referred to here is one made by then-PM Manmohan Singh at the meeting of the National Development Council in December 2006 over the case of minority empowerment, in which he said the concept of "first claim on resources" for minorities encompasses all priority groups, including SCs, STs, OBCs, women, and children, and just Muslims.
The UP chief minister also alleged the Congress is hatching a conspiracy for further division of the country.
Adityanath said it is being said that "bhai-bahan" (referring to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra) are planning to go to Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram.
"When they had a government, they used to question the existence of Lord Ram. But the deity is for everybody. This is an example of their double standards," he said.
Adityanath said those who hesitate in chanting 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Vande Mataram' should not get their votes.
Sambhal will vote in the third phase on May 7.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)