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Kanpur: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday hit out at the Samajwadi Party, alleging those responsible for riots and curfews in Kanpur were its candidates in the urban local body polls.

On the last day of campaigning for the second phase of the civic polls, Adityanath addressed public meetings in Kanpur, Banda and Chitrakoot and appealed to voters to make the BJP victorious so that funds allocated by the Central and state governments for development and welfare schemes are utilized fully.

At an election rally in Kanpur, the chief minister said this city used to be known as the country’s textile hub and largest industrial city, but its neglect by the previous government was “known to everyone”.

Referring to Kanpur’s once-booming illegal firearms industry, he said ‘kattas’ (countrymade pistols) were manufactured in Kanpur under the SP rule, but a new node of the Defence Corridor is being built here now.

As the country’s centre for defence production, Kanpur is establishing a new identity, Adityanath said.

“Those who were responsible for riots and curfews in Kanpur and played with people’s faith in the past are today the candidates of the Samajwadi Party. The kind of remarks they have made on women and the holy epic ‘Ramayan’ are not hidden from anyone,” the chief minister said.

“The urban local body election is not only (a medium) to elect a mayor but also about making all the BJP candidates victorious in all the wards,” he said.

“This election is not about hatred and personal comments. This election is about making your city a smart city, a safe city and one which has all the basic facilities,” he said at the meeting.

Adityanath also referred to the work done by his government to clean river Ganga under the Namami Gange project.

“Mother Ganga is our faith and our identity. Due to the neglect by the previous governments, 14 crore litres of sewage were discharged into Mother Ganga through the Sisamau drain. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the work on the Namami Gange project started.

“At that time, there was a Samajwadi Party government in the state. The SP did not do any work for two years. In March 2017, the double-engine BJP government came to power, and today not even a single drop from the Sisamau drain falls into the Ganga,” he said.

The chief minister also appealed to voters to add “a third engine” to the “double-engine government” and make Kanpur better again with basic facilities.

“Double-engine” is a term often used by BJP leaders to refer to the party ruling at the Centre and in a state.

Addressing another rally at Banda, the CM said that the Bundelkhand region has overcome the problem of barren and rugged terrain and is set to become a heaven on earth.

“In the next four months, the work of providing pure tap water to every house in Bundelkhand is going to be completed,” he said.

Adityanath said the entire Bundelkhand region is writing a “new chapter of development today” and recalled that for years the unveiling of Maharana Pratap’s statue was stalled which he did when he visited Banda last time.

He said that prior to 2017, Bundelkhand faced a lot of problems related to drinking water, agriculture, employment, and security.

Earlier women had to bring water in pitchers from far-off places, but today through the Har Ghar Nal Yojana, tap water is being provided to every house in Bundelkhand and the exercise will be completed in the next four months, he said.

Addressing his last rally of the day at Chitrakoot, the CM said, “Chitrakoot has been freed from dacoits criminals and is being re-established as a holy place of Sanatan Hinduism.”

Taking a jibe at the opposition parties, he added: “Dr. Lohia started the Ramayana fairs, but the Samajwadi Party, which does politics in the name of Dr. Lohia, says that Ram did not exist. Its leaders are making unsavoury comments on Tulsidas’ Ramcharitmanas as well.”

Adityanath also said that the then Samajwadi Party government opened fire on the devotees of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.

Adityanath was referring to police firing on ‘karsevaks’ gathered in Ayodhya on the saffron outfits’ call in 1990 when SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav was the UP chief minister.

“Their thinking is anarchic, opportunistic and dynastic. They can’t befriend a saint, but would readily garland a dacoit and allow them to exploit common people and traders,” he remarked further.

The second and final phase of the urban local body polls in UP will be held on May 11. The counting of votes will take place on May 13.