Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday invoked the BJP’s sweeping victory in the 2024 Kundarki Assembly bypoll to declare that “Babar’s rule” no longer had a place in the state. Launching a sharp attack on the Samajwadi Party (SP), he alleged that it continued to be guided by a “Babri soch” (Babri mindset), accusing it of dividing society along caste lines instead of working for development.
Speaking at a public event in Moradabad, where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of 63 development projects worth Rs 365 crore, the Chief Minister said Uttar Pradesh had left behind the era of riots and lawlessness and entered a new phase centred on development and good governance.
“There are no riots in Uttar Pradesh now. You saw what happened in Kundarki. The people defeated the SP candidate and sent a clear message that Babar’s rule will no longer prevail. The Babri mindset is about dividing society based on caste and spreading poison among the people,” Adityanath said.
His remarks referred to the 2024 Kundarki bypoll, where the BJP wrested the Muslim-majority Assembly seat, long considered an SP bastion, for the first time in nearly three decades. BJP candidate Ramveer Singh secured 1,70,371 votes, or 76.71 per cent of the total votes polled, defeating SP’s Mohammad Rizwan by a massive margin.
Escalating his attack on the Opposition, Adityanath accused both the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) of lacking any vision for the state’s progress.
“The SP and BSP have no agenda for development. Their only agenda is the welfare of their own families,” he asserted.
The Chief Minister’s remarks come as political parties gear up for the crucial 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, with the BJP aiming to retain power for a third consecutive term.
Contrasting his government’s record with that of previous administrations, Adityanath claimed that Uttar Pradesh before 2017 was plagued by communal violence, insecurity and administrative chaos.
“Nine years ago, Moradabad was known for riots, anarchy and disorder. There was no roadmap for development. Today, the city is recognised for its industrious youth, hardworking farmers and thriving industries,” he said.
He further alleged that earlier governments had failed to prioritise public welfare and had diverted funds away from development.
“Earlier, government money was spent on building graveyards. Today, it is being invested in temples and development projects,” the Chief Minister remarked.
Targeting SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Adityanath also referred to the police firing on kar sevaks during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, contrasting it with the transformation of Ayodhya under the BJP government.
“Akhilesh ji, your government fired bullets at devotees of Lord Ram. Today, Ayodhya resembles Treta Yuga,” he said, adding that “the turn of Mathura’s Banke Bihari temple will also come.”
The Chief Minister also mentioned the ongoing Harihar Temple dispute in Sambhal, asserting that had society remained vigilant centuries ago, the temple would not have been destroyed.
