Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, recently condemned the SP and Congress for their alleged attempt to divide people along religious lines, specifically mentioning their promotion of "vote jihad." Adityanath expressed his view that such actions were part of a conspiracy to Islamize India and emphasized the significance of voting for upholding democracy and protecting rights.
During a public meeting in Farrukhabad to support BJP MP Mukesh Rajput's re-election campaign, Adityanath's remarks came shortly after SP leader Maria Alam, who is related to senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid, called for "vote jihad" in support of a particular candidate in the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP issued a statement quoting Adityanath's criticism of SP and Congress, accusing them of attempting to sow divisions on religious grounds and emphasizing the importance of voting for a democracy that safeguards people's rights in India.
Furthermore, Adityanath highlighted the transformations he believed India underwent post-2014 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He contrasted the state of India before 2014, which he described as lacking confidence and plagued by issues like terrorism and Naxalism, with the perceived improvements seen in the country after 2014. Adityanath also criticized the UPA government's handling of terror attacks, linking the perceived decline in terrorism under Modi's leadership to the country's improved security situation.