At Swachh-Swasth UP campaign, Yogi warns Rahul not to make Gorakhpur ‘picnic spot’

Lucknow, August 19: Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh has literally become the epicenter of Indian politics post the death of more than a 100 children at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College and Hospital allegedly due to lack of supply of oxygen in recent times.

While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)--both at the Centre and in the state--is maintaining that the government is committed to the welfare of children, opposition parties, including the Congress, have been demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the deaths of the children.

On Saturday, just a few hours before Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's scheduled visit to Gorakhpur to meet the parents of the deceased children, CM Adityanath trained his guns at the Congress leader during the launch of Swachh Uttar Pradesh, Swasth Uttar Pradesh (Clean Uttar Pradesh, Healthy Uttar Pradesh) campaign in Gorakhpur.

After launching the campaign, the CM was seen cleaning a street in Gorakhpur's Andhiyari Bagh locality with a broom.

"The prince sitting in Delhi won't understand the value of cleanliness. Gorakhpur should not be allowed to become a picnic spot for him. (Delhi mein baitha koi yuvraj swachhta abhiyan ka mahatv nahi jaanega. Gorakhpur unke liye picnic spot bane uski ijazat nahi deni chahiye)" the CM said, while attacking Rahul ahead of his visit.

However, Adityanath did not mention any name while attacking Rahul, but the use of the word "Yuvraj" (Prince) was enough to indicate whom he was referring to in his speech. The BJP has often called Rahul a "Prince".

Moreover, on several occasions, Rahul had criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat abhiyan (Clean India campaign). That is why Adityanath in his speech criticised "Yuvraj" for not understanding the value of cleanliness.

The latest campaign on cleanliness and health has been launched by the UP government after Adityanath recently blamed dirty surroundings and open defecation for the rise in the number of cases of encephalitis, the mosquito-borne disease that infected most of the dead children in the Gorakhpur hospital.

"The common man should join the cleanliness campaign. From Gorakhpur, we will start the Swachh-Swasth UP campaign. (Aam janta ko safai abhiyaan ke saath judna hoga. Gorakhpur se 'Swachh-Swasth UP abhiyan' shuru karenge)," said Adityanath.

"I started movement against encephalitis. When it comes to the disease, prevention is better than cure and it starts with sanitation," he added.

The CM also blamed the previous Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BJP) regimes in the state for the current deplorable situation of most of the government-run institutions.

"The governments in the last 12-15 years ruined institutions in UP for their selfish motives. The previous governments institutionalised corruption and deprived people to avail facilities," alleged the UP CM.

OneIndia News