Those who praise Pakistan should go there with begging bowls: Adityanath

Mahoba (UP), May 15 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said Wednesday those who praise Pakistan should go there with a begging bowl, in an apparent reference to remarks by Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar that surfaced recently.

Addressing a poll rally here in support of his party’s Hamirpur Lok Sabha candidate Pushpendra Singh Chandel, Adityanath also claimed that only two entities oppose the BJP, “one who opposes Lord Ram and the one who praises Pakistan”.

The chief minister also “cautioned” people against voting for those who attacked devotees of Lord Ram and urged them not to become complicit in “sin”.

“Those who sing praises of Pakistan should go there with a begging bowl. If they have an atom bomb, should ours be kept in the fridge,” Adityanath asked, addressing the crowd.

The BJP leader’s remark alluded to an old video in which Aiyar was heard saying that India should give respect to Pakistan as it is a sovereign nation and engage with it as it also possesses an atom bomb. The clip sparked a row amid the ongoing election season.

Accusing the previous governments led by opposition parties of fostering mafia and dacoits in Bundelkhand and the Uttar Pradesh chief minister urged voters to ensure that people of such parties lose their deposits.

He said, “Both the central and state governments have prioritised the development of the Bundelkhand region. We envision its transformation akin to Noida, where the youths will find ample opportunities that will prevent migration.”

According to a press statement, Adityanath paid tributes to the land of Alha-Udal and the brave Chandelas and said he has a deep connection with Mahoba. “To me, Mahoba feels like my own land,” he said in the statement.

He reiterated that the current election symbolises a battle between ‘Ram bhakts’ and ‘Ram drohis’.

Adityanath vowed to uplift Bundelkhand to a level that future generations would remember. “It feels good to see the Bundelkhand Expressway today. Our Bundelkhand is now moving towards new heights of development,” he added.