CM Addresses Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti Programme in Bithoor, Gifts Kanpur 48 Development Projects Worth Over ₹411 Crore
CM Targets SP and Congress, Says They Want to Take Uttar Pradesh Back to an Era of Riots and Lawlessness
‘SP Means Riots, Corruption, Dynastic Politics and Anarchy,’ Says Chief Minister
CM Questions Akhilesh Yadav’s Alleged Support for Bangladeshi Infiltrators
Kanpur, October 2026: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 48 development projects worth over ₹411 crore in Kanpur. Addressing a programme organised in Bithoor to mark Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti, the Chief Minister launched a sharp attack on the Samajwadi Party (SP), its president Akhilesh Yadav and the Congress.
Taking a swipe at Akhilesh Yadav, the Chief Minister said that a person could inherit a political throne, but not intelligence. He also accused the opposition parties of attempting to take Uttar Pradesh back to an era of riots, corruption and lawlessness.
‘A Wooden Pot Cannot Be Put on the Fire Again and Again’
Addressing Akhilesh Yadav, CM Yogi said the SP leader had inherited power once, but could not expect the same outcome repeatedly.
“You may have inherited power once, but a wooden pot cannot be put on the fire again and again,” he said, adding that the people of Uttar Pradesh had already rejected the SP because of its actions.
He advised the SP president to stop dreaming of returning to power, asserting that political leadership could be inherited, but intelligence required effort and a willingness to engage with people on the ground.
‘SP Has a Habit of Living in Filth and Committing Crimes in Darkness’
The Chief Minister said his government respected India’s traditions and heritage. Referring to the development of Ayodhya, he alleged that the Congress and the SP had neglected the city, leaving it with poor roads, inadequate electricity and unhygienic conditions.
He accused the opposition parties of obstructing development initiatives and alleged that they had opposed the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and efforts to build the Ram temple and an airport.
CM Yogi said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the grand Ram temple had been constructed in Ayodhya. He also referred to temples dedicated to Maharishi Valmiki, Goswami Tulsidas, Shabari Mata and Nishadraj within the Ram Janmabhoomi complex.
Mentioning the 56-foot statue depicting the meeting of Lord Ram and Nishadraj at Shringverpur, he said the friendship symbolised by the monument would remain an enduring reminder of the cultural heritage being promoted by his government.
‘SP Removed Names of Great Personalities from Institutions’
Targeting the SP’s tenure, the Chief Minister alleged that after coming to power in 2012, the party removed the name Sant Ravidas Nagar from Bhadohi, Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar’s name from the medical college in Kannauj, and Manyavar Kanshi Ram’s name from the language university in Lucknow, which was subsequently named after Moinuddin Chishti.
Referring to the Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor, he said that before 2017, fewer than 20 devotees could visit the shrine simultaneously, whereas the facility now allows around 20,000 devotees to have darshan at the same time.
He credited the Prime Minister with developing the five pilgrimage sites associated with Dr BR Ambedkar and said that placing a copy of the Constitution on his head before installing it in the new Parliament building had demonstrated respect for the Constitution.
Questioning the opposition’s development record, he asked how parties that allegedly supported rioters and prioritised their own families over the state could deliver progress.
CM Accuses SP and Congress of Supporting Infiltrators
The Chief Minister referred to what he described as the SP and Congress’s alleged support for infiltrators, asking Akhilesh Yadav why he was so sympathetic towards Bangladeshi infiltrators.
He alleged that these parties had neglected farmers, the poor and young people during their years in power. According to him, farmers had been forced into distress, employment opportunities were limited, and women’s safety was a major concern.
Referring to incidents in Kosi Kalan and Jawahar Bagh in Mathura, he alleged that people associated with the SP had occupied public land and that police officers who attempted to remove the encroachments were killed.
He also recalled the Muzaffarnagar riots, alleging that several districts in western Uttar Pradesh, including Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Saharanpur, Meerut and Bulandshahr, had experienced prolonged violence.
He claimed that during the severe winter, people were left to suffer while the then SP government failed to respond adequately. He accused the opposition of wanting to take the state back to that period.
‘Opposition Opposed the Citizenship Amendment Act’
CM Yogi said the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) provides a pathway to citizenship for eligible Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who faced persecution.
He alleged that the SP and Congress opposed the legislation and accused them of supporting infiltrators while insulting poor and disadvantaged citizens by labelling them as outsiders.
He further alleged that the opposition parties had encouraged violence and vandalism, including attempts to create unrest in Kanpur.
‘Only BJP Government Can Deal with Rioters’
Referring to the 1931 Kanpur riots, the Chief Minister recalled the death of journalist Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, who was killed while attempting to save innocent people. He also referred to the killing of the father of MLA Rahul Bachha Sonkar, alleging that both incidents reflected the consequences of communal violence.
He said the BJP’s “double-engine government” was capable of dealing firmly with rioters. Referring to the peaceful celebration of Vijayadashami, he said the atmosphere of public happiness and festivities reflected the idea of Ram Rajya.
The Chief Minister alleged that before 2017, development, cultural heritage, welfare of the poor and employment for young people had not received adequate attention. He said funds were now being invested in projects such as Brahmavart Ghat, the Valmiki Ashram, the Peshwa-Tantia Tope memorial, Kashi Vishwanath Dham and religious sites in Ayodhya, Vindhyavasini Dham and Mathura-Vrindavan.
He warned people against trusting those he accused of supporting mafias and illegal land occupation, and urged them not to allow rioters to regain influence.
‘SP Means Riots, Corruption and Dynastic Politics’
CM Yogi said the Samajwadi Party represented riots, corruption, dynastic politics, disruption of young people’s futures and lawlessness.
He urged people to recognise what he described as the changing political appearance of opposition parties, saying that even the SP had begun invoking Lord Ram’s name.
Using a reference to the Ramayana, he warned people not to be misled by appearances, recalling that Hanuman recognised the demon Kalanemi despite his disguise.
The Chief Minister also highlighted initiatives associated with historical figures and social reformers. These included the redevelopment of Sant Ravidas’s birthplace, the creation of a Provincial Armed Constabulary battalion named after Veerangana Uda Devi Pasi in Lucknow, a women’s battalion named after Veerangana Avanti Bai Lodhi in Badaun, and another named after Veerangana Jhalkari Bai Kori in Gorakhpur.
He also referred to the construction of a memorial to Maharaja Bijli Pasi in Lucknow and a light-and-sound programme at Jhansi Fort showcasing the valour of Rani Lakshmibai and the events of 1857.
‘Congress Has Become Mentally Bankrupt’
The Chief Minister accused the Congress of being “mentally bankrupt” and alleged that it repeatedly created controversies and questioned constitutional institutions.
He said the Congress and SP had failed to respect the country’s freedom fighters and constitutional institutions. He named Rani Lakshmibai, Nana Saheb Peshwa, Tantia Tope, Chandrashekhar Azad, Ramprasad Bismil, Thakur Roshan Singh, Ashfaqulla Khan, Dr BR Ambedkar and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel among the historical figures whose legacy, he alleged, was being disrespected.
He appealed to the public not to support those who, in his view, insulted constitutional institutions and freedom fighters.
Welfare Schemes Reflect ‘Ram Rajya’: CM Yogi
Quoting a verse from the Ramcharitmanas that describes an ideal society free from poverty, suffering and ignorance, CM Yogi said the government’s development and welfare initiatives reflected the concept of Ram Rajya.
He said the double-engine government had pursued infrastructure development, preservation of cultural heritage and welfare schemes for the poor.
According to the figures cited by the Chief Minister:
16 crore people in Uttar Pradesh received free foodgrains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.
65 lakh poor families received houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
10 crore people were covered under Ayushman Bharat.
2 crore people received cooking gas connections under the Ujjwala scheme.
Eligible Ayushman and Ujjwala beneficiaries received one free LPG cylinder for Diwali.
67 lakh students received pre-matric and post-matric scholarships.
More than 5 lakh daughters were married under the Mukhyamantri Samuhik Vivah Yojana, with a grant of ₹1 lakh for each beneficiary.
He said the schemes were implemented without discrimination and reflected the principle of inclusive development.
Kanpur Infrastructure and Bithoor’s Cultural Heritage
The Chief Minister highlighted infrastructure projects in Kanpur, including the metro service, the operational airport, a new expressway connecting the city with Lucknow, a new bridge over the Ganga in the Trans Ganga area and the construction of a bypass.
He also spoke about the construction and restoration of ghats in Bithoor and the transformation of the Maharishi Valmiki Ashram, which he said had been in a dilapidated condition before 2017.
Describing Bithoor as a land of heritage, he referred to its associations with Maharishi Valmiki, Mata Sita, Luv and Kush, and the Ramayana. He also recalled the region’s role in the First War of Independence in 1857 under the leadership of Nana Saheb Peshwa and Tantia Tope.
He said Rani Lakshmibai, known in childhood as Manu, spent part of her early life in Bithoor, where she developed her skills in horse riding and swordsmanship.
Development Projects Worth Over ₹411 Crore
The 48 projects inaugurated or launched by the Chief Minister included major road, defence infrastructure, educational and urban development works.
Key projects inaugurated included:
Widening a 16-km stretch of the Mandhana–Ganga Barrage–Shuklaganj–Purwa–Mohanlalganj Road (State Highway 173) from two lanes to four lanes, at a cost of over ₹159 crore.
Internal roads, a pond, a boundary wall, a sewage treatment plant and other works at the Kanpur node of the Defence Corridor project, costing ₹26 crore.
Widening and strengthening a 5.52-km stretch of the Lucknow–Mohan–Bangarmau–Nanamau–Bilhaur–Bela–Etawah Road (State Highway 40), at a cost of ₹15 crore.
Key projects for which foundation stones were laid included:
Construction of Chief Minister Model Composite Schools in Bani village in Chaubepur block and Khersa village in Bidhnu block, costing ₹48.52 crore.
Development of a botanical garden at a cost of ₹31.50 crore.
Construction of a 30-metre-wide master-plan road under the New Kanpur City scheme, costing over ₹19 crore.
Beneficiaries Honoured at the Event
Several beneficiaries of government welfare schemes received certificates and recognition on the stage.
They included Reena under the Chief Minister’s Rural Housing Scheme–Zero Poverty category; Saurabh Yadav under the rural housing scheme for disaster-affected beneficiaries; Ashutosh Pandey under the Mukhyamantri Swadeshi Go-Samvardhan Mini Nandini Krishak Samriddhi Yojana; Lakhpati Didis Seema and Rukhsar Bano; Priyanshu under the Swadeshi Go-Samvardhan scheme; Sushma Kushwaha under Ayushman Bharat; and Dr Deepti Tiwari under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises scheme.
Sanitation workers Rajpal Valmiki and Shivam Valmiki were also honoured during the programme.
Several state ministers, legislators, public representatives and Bharatiya Janata Party office-bearers attended the event.
