Shah accuses previous UP govts of neglecting development of Hindu religious centres

''I want to ask those who were in power earlier as to why the Ram temple was not constructed? Why was development of Braj region not undertaken? Why nothing was done for development of Chitrakoot where Lord Ram spent over 11 years? Why was the corridor of Maa Vindhyavasini not built?... Because you were afraid of vote-bank politics,'' he said, adding that it pained people. 

''The BJP does not practise vote-bank politics, hence its government gave a tangible shape to the development of these religious centres,'' Shah told a gathering after laying the foundation of the Maa Vindhyavasini Corridor Project and inaugurating a ropeway here. 

He said, ''Be it the development of Braj teerth (pilgrimage), Chitrakoot Dhaam or the grand Deepotsav of Ayodhya, the BJP's Yogi Adityanath government has revived every tradition and fulfilled long-pending wishes of people.'' The Maa Vindhyavasini Corridor Project involves creating a wide 'parikrama' route around the Maa Vindhyavasini Temple and setting up various facilities for devotees. 

''Today there has been the bhoomipujan of the Maa Vindhyavasini Corridor Project, and inauguration of the ropeway. If a Shravan Kumar has to bring his aged parents here now...he can use the ropeway and complete the triangular 'parikrama','' he said. 

Appealing to the people to vote for the BJP in the upcoming UP Assembly polls, Shah said, ''You have blessed the BJP in 2014, 2017 and 2019. The Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress, everyone came together, but you did not falter. Your blessings kept on increasing. I am sure that the BJP's Yogi Adityanath government will get your blessings in 2022, and the BJP will form the government with a bigger majority than before.'' He claimed that the Yogi Adityanath government has fulfilled all the promises made before the 2017 polls. 

Attacking Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, Shah said, ''Akhilesh bhaai, you and your 'buaa' (aunt -- BSP chief Mayawati), can come with your record of (work) of 15 years. If you had done half of the work done by Yogi-ji in four years, the people would have forgiven you. This is the BJP government, and now the consideration is not one's own family, but interests of the 22 crore people of the state.''