MIRZAPUR/LUCKNOW, Sept 23: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday reiterated his “batenge toh katenge” remark, saying it was disunity which led to the “invaders destroying the Ram temple” in Ayodhya.
“Ayodhya Dham is now flourishing. The grand temple of Lord Ram Lalla has been built, but we must ask why we had to wait 500 years for this moment,” Adityanath said at an event in Mirzapur.
During the programme, the chief minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 127 development projects worth Rs 765 crore in the Gopalpur area of Mirzapur, according to an official statement.
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“Why did invaders destroy the magnificent temple of Lord Ram Lalla and impose a structure symbolising slavery? The answer lies in our disunity,” the release quoted him as saying.
“Hum bate the, toh kate the (when divided, we got cup up),” he said, referring to the Ayodhya dispute and urging people to stay united and together move forward in an “atmosphere of development and security.”
Earlier, Adityanath had made the remark in reference to the violence in Bangladesh after the fall of Shekh Hasina-led government and alleged atrocities against Hindus.
“Batenge toh katenge (if divided, we will be cut up),” he had said during an inauguration event in Agra on August 26 and urged people to stay united, saying the mistakes in Bangladesh should not happen in India.
During Monday’s event in Mirzapur, more than 1,500 youths were given smartphones and tablets under the Swami Vivekananda Yuva Sashaktikaran Yojana.
The chief minister presented a cheque of around Rs 4 crore as the first installment for the establishment of a fish feed plant. He also honoured beneficiaries of various schemes and launched the Vidya Shakti portal by pressing a button.
Adityanath said, “Before 2017, the mafia (in the state) operated like a parallel government, dominating sectors like mining, cattle trade, organised crime and land grabbing. When their convoys passed, public representatives were filled with fear, and the administration yielded to them. Nobody dared to confront the mafia.”
He asserted that today, the same criminals are pleading for mercy and are willing to make an honest living.
Attacking the opposition, Adityanath said, “Those who shamelessly played the caste card used to grovel before the mafia, dangerous criminals, and rioters. Now, as the state makes rapid strides in development, the same people seek to act as obstacles again.”
He further said 10 years ago, the Mirzapur district suffered from poor connectivity, and the underprivileged were deprived of government schemes but it has witnessed huge transformation, especially in the last seven-and-a-half years.
He said Mirzapur now has a medical college, unlike previous times when people had to rely on the facilities in BHU and Prayagraj for quality healthcare.
“A university in the name of Maa Vindhyavasini is also set to be established, with courses starting in the upcoming academic session. The district is now well-connected with four-lane roads,” he added.
Speaking about the Barh Sagar project, Adityanath reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement during its inauguration, where he mentioned that two-and-a-half lakh hectares of land would receive irrigation facilities.
Addressing the drinking water crisis in the Vindhya region was another challenge which was addressed, he noted.
He said admissions have already begun at the Sonbhadra Medical College, and nursing courses will soon begin at Mirzapur Medical College, ensuring that daughters from the region will no longer need to go elsewhere for education, with a guarantee of 100 per cent placement.
The chief minister said many people in Mirzapur were previously excluded from government schemes, but the current administration has made efforts to include tribes such as the Kol, Chero, Gaur, and Tharu living in the Indo-Nepal border areas in various welfare programmes.
Adityanath also highlighted an upcoming exhibition at the Expo Mart in Greater Noida from September 25 to 29, in which artisans and craftsmen will have the opportunity to showcase their work and secure new orders.
He said the event will also feature carpets from Mirzapur and Bhadohi, adding, “Exporting these goods could bring substantial profits, and as capital flows into the region, it will drive development in Mirzapur, Bhadohi, and Sonbhadra,” he said. (PTI)
