Lucknow, April 24 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday accused the INDI alliance in general and Congress in particular of harbouring intentions to undermine the reservation system for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).
Addressing a press conference at Bharatiya Janata Party state headquarters here after inaugurating the media centre, the CM said, "The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government sought to enact the recommendations of the former Chief Justice and Congress MP Ranganath Mishra Commission, which proposed to allocate six per cent of the 27 per cent quota for the OBC, to the minority community during its tenure."
He said, "The Congress Party even intends to encroach upon the rights of SC and ST. The Sachar Committee Report commissioned by the UPA government, which had to be withdrawn in the face of staunch opposition from the BJP, bears testimony to this."
Yogi said that Congress has mentioned conducting property surveys as one of its agendas in its manifesto. "Eventually, they will distribute the properties arbitrarily among themselves," he alleged.
He also referenced former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement during the UPA regime, emphasising the priority accorded to Muslims in allocating national resources. Contrasting this stance, he reiterated the BJP's commitment to addressing the concerns of four pivotal segments of society, including poor, farmers, youth, and women, emphasising a non-discriminatory approach transcending caste, creed or religion.
The chief minister said, "The Congress party's desperate pursuit of power poses a grave threat to the nation's interests. Intending to enforce Sharia law in the country, the party has clearly demonstrated its predilection for the Talibani approach, which allows atrocities on women and carries out destruction."
He cited the Taliban's support for medieval practices such as 'triple talaq' as an example. He alleged that Congress espouses the Taliban's agenda by advocating for the implementation of 'Sharia law'.
Yogi contended that the Congress manifesto intends to denigrate half the population. "These issues are pivotal to the security and sovereignty of the nation, exposing Congress's true motives," he said.
He drew parallels to the events of 1947, highlighting the divisive consequences and the rise of terrorism and extremism that ensued. He cautioned against a return to an era characterised by institutional corruption and societal distrust, warning that Congress seeks to take the country down that same dangerous path once more.
The CM highlighted a historical perspective, recalling how, in 1970, late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi pledged to 'eradicate poverty'. However, he criticised the lack of concrete programs to fulfill this promise, noting that the ambitious 19-20 point initiatives remained confined to paperwork, marred by corruption.
He lamented the trend of favouritism in distributing scheme benefits, a practice exacerbated during the UPA's tenure. Despite governing for 65 years, their politics, he argued, needed a foundation of performance as they encouraged selective implementation of schemes based on personal connections.
Yogi expressed scepticism towards the repetition of this pledge by Rahul Gandhi, the grandson of Indira Gandhi. He underscored the pivotal role of the electorate in shaping the nation's future, emphasising that the country's security, prosperity and very lives are at stake in the upcoming elections.
He urged voters to recognise the power of their ballots, cautioning that a single vote holds the potential to either resurrect the spectre of terrorism or bolster efforts to combat external threats by supporting the BJP.
The CM asserted that each vote cast in favour of BJP is a vote for security, effective governance and national sovereignty, aligning with the party's vision to propel India towards becoming a developed nation.
BJP's state president Bhupendra Singh Choudhary, Minister Aseem Arun, Media in charge Manish Dixit, General Secretary Anoop Gupta, Harish Srivastava, Himanshu Dubey, and others were present on the occasion.
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