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While addressing a public event in Uttar Pradesh’s (UP's) Mathura on Wednesday, 8 December, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reused the ‘kabristan’ remark to attack the previous UP governments and alleged that they used to spend money on building the boundaries of kabristans (graveyards), while his government has been spending money on developing teerths (Hindu pilgrim centres).
Adityanath announced projects worth Rs 201 crore on Wednesday, and reiterated that “Now, rituals are being organised on a grand scale and the saints are given respect. The Kumbh is a great example of reliving a 5,000-year-old tradition.”
Referring to former chief minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Adityanath stated, “And what can one even say about babua.”
“Babua would have gone on abbajaan’s path and would have ordered firing during the Ram Temple construction. If they had time left from giving protection to terrorists, they would have thought about your astha (faith) development, women empowerment, temples. On one side, there is the Ram bhakt government, and on the other side, there are those who shoot Ram bhakts,” he added, making a reference to Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav.
Notably, the security had also been deployed in view of a call, which was later retracted, given by Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha to carry out Hindu rituals and placing a Krishna idol in the Shahi Masjid Idga, next to the Katra Keshav Dev temple complex in Mathura.
Stating that the ‘soul’ of the country resides in Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath said in his speech, “This is the place where Krishna was born and through his birth he blessed it. Because of this land, and through his leelas, 5,000 years ago, Krishna gave directions for the future."
“Earlier only one family was enjoying benefits, now 25 crore people of the state are getting them,” he added.
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