Previous govts spent money on burial grounds, we develop religious spots: Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday claimed that while the previous state governments spent their money on burial grounds the BJP government works on developing religious spots, which boosts tourism and also generates employment.

Adityanath made the ‘kabristan’ (graveyards) jibe at the party’s Jan Vishwas Yatra in Maharjganj, where he inaugurated or laid the foundation stones for 77 development projects worth Rs 437 crore.

The assembly polls are likely to be held before March-end in Uttar Pradesh.

“The previous governments spent money on `kabristans’, our government spends it on beautification of places associated with deities, which are places of faith,” he said.

This helps tourism, generates employment and boosts the economy, he said.

The BJP government will respect faith but run bulldozers on the mafia, he said, referring to people who “encroached on the land of the poor”.

Targeting the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, he said, “When we take action against the mafia, the SP and BSP feel the pain most.” Adityanath also referred to the construction of the Ram temple begun in Ayodhya, and the abrogation of Article 370, which gave Jammu and Kashmir a special status.

In an apparent reference to police firing at kar sevaks in Ayodhya when the SP was in power in Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath said those who open fire at “Ram bhakts” would have never constructed the temple.

He claimed that the mafias and the “rioters” feared government action now and did not dare to create trouble in the state.

Before 2014, people in power amassed the money that belonged to the poor, he said.

In an apparent reference to the recent raids at the home of a Kanpur businessman Piyush Jain, he said the same money is now being unearthed with the help of JCB machines.

The governments earlier did not care for infrastructure, he claimed. He said little was done then to tackle encephalitis and thousands of children died year after year in the state.

Earlier in Gorakhpur, the chief minister offered prayers before inaugurating an “international level” water sports complex. He also laid the foundation stones and inaugurated 114 development projects.

Computer tablets and smartphone were distributed among 1,000 youths. “The tablets and smartphones will help them in online education and in the preparations for competitive exams,” he said.

He said they will also get details about the government schemes to help them become “job providers”.

“The state government has made a special fund to promote start-ups.” the CM said.

The chief minister said the distribution of smartphones and tablets will be continued for college students as well.