Yogi again raises ‘batenge toh katenge’ slogan, this time focus on stone pelting at Vishalgad fort in Kolhapur

”In Kolhapur, Vishalgad is in the grip of illegal encroachments…When I asked why are these encroachments persisting, I was told that whenever attempts are made to remove the encroachments, stone pelting takes place. I was surpised…Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Vishalgad is in the grip of encroachments and the attempts to remove the encroachments are met with stone-pelting,” Yogi said while addressing a rally for BJP candidate Mahesh Landge in Bhosari assembly seat in Pimpri-Chinchwad industrial area on Sunday evening.

“I want to ask why are the encroachments taking place at Vishalgad? This is because …hum batein thhe.. (we were divided). Why did we suffer humilation in Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura ? Because we were divided..why were lakhs of Hindus chopped down ? Because we were divided,” he said.

Appealing voters to remain united, the UP Chief Minister said,”We can’t tolerate those who throw stones on Ganpati shobha yatra or Ram Navmi shobha yatra… This attack on ‘sanatan’ is the attack on India…Attack on ‘sanatan” is an invitation for maha vinash (destruction)..And that is why I have come to tell you batein the toh kate the…Ab batenge nahi, tu katenge nahi…Ek rahenge toh safe rahenge.. (divided we fall…we’ll stay safe only if we stay united).

Earlier in the morning, Yogi also addressed a rally in Kolhapur where he spoke about the encroachments on Vishalgad. ”When the Mahayuti government returns to power, we will launch a probe into it (the stone-pelting incident),” he said. In July this year, when the local administration tried to remove encroachments from Vishalgad fort in Kolhapur district, violence broke out as places of worship and homes of locals were targeted by the mob.

Describing the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance as ”Maha-Anadi,” alliance, Yogi said, ”There are two alliances. One alliance of Mahayuti working under Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Maharashtra. The PM has in last 10 years created a new ”Bharat’ with focus on Sab Ka Saath, Sab Ka Vikas. Progress of all, security to all but appeasement of none. On one hand, yo have an alliance that is trying to unite India and on the other side, there is the ‘Maha Anadi’ alliance which neither has niti (policy), niyat (intention) nor decision-making ability. Their slogan is also Sab Ka Saath …Lekin Parivar Ka Vikas.”

Taking dig at the Congress party which is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, Yogi said the Congress has only been involved in promoting the interests of one family and never though about the interest of the country.

”After 1947, had the Congress been dissolved, India would never been divided. Lakhs of innocent Hindus would not have been killed. If India was united, those who say ”Muslim problem” would not have been there…the problem has persisted since then… if the problem had persisted in India, we would have tackled it like we are tacking it now. The Congress was greedy for power, crossed all limits of appeasement…After partition, the Congress divided the country in the name of caste, reglion and region,” he said.

Yogi heaped praises on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for showing the way for ‘Swaraj’. ”Peshwa Bajirao showed the way how the country should live unitedly…This is the sacred land of Balgangadhar Tilak. Mahatma Phule gave the message of equality. Savitribai Phule gave the message of women’s education and empowerment. Veer Savarkar made 1857 revolution immortal through history books. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, who gave the message of equality, also belongs to this sacred land. I am alerting you how the Congress is trying to divide the sacred land.”

“In 2017 when I became the Chief Minister, I went to Agra district to see a museum set up there. Officials there told me that the previos government had named the museum after Mughuls. I asked them what the Mughuls have got to do with India? They said the museum will highlight the life and times of Aurangzeb and his family. I told them no…the museum will glorify the life and times of Chhatrapati Shivaji…Now the museum is being set up and named as Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum.”