Amravati, Maharashtra: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader Yogi Adityanath responded sharply to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday, advising him to direct his anger toward the historical figure of the Nizam of Hyderabad rather than targeting him. Speaking at a public rally in Amravati ahead of the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections, Adityanath brought up the violent history involving the Nizam’s Razakars, a paramilitary force from the era before India’s Independence.
“These days, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is unnecessarily getting angry at me. Kharge ji, don’t get angry at me; I respect your age,” Adityanath remarked. “If you want to get angry, get angry at the Hyderabad Nizam. The Nizam’s Razakars burned your village, brutally killed Hindus, and harmed your family members,” he added, as reported by ANI.
The Razakars, a notorious paramilitary group organized by the Nizam of Hyderabad, are historically known for their violent opposition to Hyderabad’s integration into India. Adityanath’s comments follow Kharge’s indirect swipe at him over the weekend, where the Congress leader criticized political figures “living in the guise of sadhus” who have become politicians.
In his speech, Adityanath did not stop at historical references; he accused the Congress of supporting the 1947 Partition due to its “greed for power” and alleged that the party fell under the influence of a “Muslim gang,” resulting in the division of India. “Some elections change the fate of the country,” he said, adding that the 1946 elections eventually led to India’s unfortunate partition. He argued that the Congress’s political maneuvers of the time enabled division and conflict within India, resulting in widespread violence.
Adityanath extended his criticism to the present-day alliance between the Congress, NCP, and Shiv Sena under the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), claiming that it has turned Maharashtra into a “base for love jihad and land jihad.” Warning voters against division, he stated, “Because you were divided, this country was divided, and Hindus were killed. That is why I have come to tell you: don’t get divided.”
Adityanath also referenced the outcome of the 2024 general elections in Amravati, where Congress defeated BJP candidate Navneet Rana by approximately 20,000 votes. He urged voters not to repeat the “mistake” of voting for Congress, cautioning that it could jeopardize women’s safety and lead to land captures and attacks on Hindu festivals in the name of “love and land jihad.”
The BJP leader’s remarks are reflective of the party’s election strategy to rally Hindu voters against Congress and its allies. His statements are seen as an attempt to appeal to nationalist sentiments and historical grievances as the BJP intensifies its campaign in Maharashtra.