Uttar Pradesh (UP) chief minister (CM) Yogi Adityanath on Friday asserted that Ayodhya will no longer be a war zone and proposed setting up of a defence manufacturing corridor along the proposed Bundelkhand Expressway.
Addressing the delegates of the World Hindu Economic Forum in Mumbai, Adityanath highlighted that his government was giving priority to developmental works in and around Ayodhya. “Any new CM would be scared of going to Ayodhya and Noida. If he visited Ayodhya, his secular credentials would be tainted and in case of Noida, he will lose his chair. But I have gone there many times,” said Adityanath. “We pushed hard for the development of Ayodhya and gave it a new image. Today, Ayodhya is coming back to its glory and I assure you there will be no more war in Ayodhya. The place has now reached great heights as a religious and spiritual centre,” he said.
The UP CM’s statement comes at a time when the Supreme Court is almost on the verge of wrapping up the hearings in the Ram Janambhoomi title dispute case.
With reference to the defence corridor, Adityanath said his state will contribute towards making the nation self-reliant. “A defence expo will be organised in February 2020 in which more than 100 countries have confirmed their participation,” he said.
Adityanath said his tenure of two-and-half years was “one of the best periods for the state”. “Initially, UP had got a very bad name owing to the prevalence of regular rioting and mafia raj. Our youths, who migrated outside, were ashamed to say they hailed from UP. This has changed in the last two-and-a-half years as from day one, we started our policy of zero tolerance to corruption and crime,” he added. The UP CM said his government employed the use of technology in various high-profile events like the Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj and Pravasi Bharatiya Divas at Varanasi.
WhatsApp us