Yogi Adityanath
NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday targeted the RJD-Congress alliance in Bihar for opposing the Election Commission’s directive to verify the identity of women voters wearing burqas, saying the opposition was creating a controversy for political reasons. He said the Election Commission’s guidelines on voter identification were clear and would be followed strictly, adding that the Congress and RJD were “indulging in mischief” by questioning the order.The Election Commission had directed that anganwadi workers be deployed at all polling booths to verify the identity of burqa-clad women. It stated that the guidelines on voter identification inside polling stations were clear and would be strictly followed. The UP CM’s remarks came during a rally in Danapur near Patna, held in support of BJP candidate and former Union minister Ram Kripal Yadav, who filed his nomination papers earlier in the day.“Bihar under the NDA rule is looking forward to continuing its journey towards progress. At such a time, the Congress-RJD is indulging in mischief by raising a controversy over burqas,” Yogi said. “Should fake voters be allowed to vote? The Congress and RJD want this to happen. A reason why they are making a big fuss over burqas. They have also been opposed to electronic voting machines (EVMs) because they want to restore the old system of ballot papers, which facilitated booth capture by their henchmen,” he said.Yogi also spoke about the cultural connection between Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, saying, “After the construction of a grand temple of Lord Ram at Ayodhya, the birthplace of Goddess Sita in Sitamarhi is all set for a facelift. We are also working on improving the connectivity between the two places.”He added, “The relationship between Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is not just a relationship; it is a shared heritage. It is a bond of one soul, a bond of one culture, and also a bond of one resolve. This relationship is as unbreakable as the bond between Lord Ram and Mother Janaki.”Referring to his image for taking action against lawbreakers, Yogi called the mafia in Uttar Pradesh “partners” of the RJD and said that under the NDA rule, “they will meet the same fate in Bihar.”He also criticised the RJD for aligning with the Congress despite its founder, Lalu Prasad Yadav, beginning his political career under Jayaprakash Narayan, who had led a movement against the Emergency.Yogi further said that the Samajwadi Party, a part of the INDIA bloc along with the Congress and RJD, had also ignored Jayaprakash Narayan’s legacy.“A hospital built at the birthplace of JP, named after him, had been in a state of disrepair until we came to power. Now it has been given a makeover,” Yogi said.
