Maharashtra: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath once again made pitch for Hindu unity with his hit slogan ‘Batenge to Katenge’ in Maharashtra , ahead of next week’s Assembly election. Polling in the key state will take place on November 20 and counting on 23.

Yogi Adityanath amplified his Hindu unity pitch at the Maharashtra hustings by improvising the ‘Batenge to Katenge’ phrase with ‘Ek Hai To Safe Hai’ caution.

The UP CM drew sharp contrasts between the NDA alliance led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the MVA bloc comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress , and NCP (SP).

Referring to the historical division of India, Adityanath said, “Because you were divided, this country was divided, and Hindus were killed because they were divided. That is why I have come to tell you: don’t get divided. ‘Ek hain toh safe hain’”.

He also revisited the Ayodhya issue, asserting that Hindus faced 500 years of humiliation because they were divided.

“We were divided, and that is why we suffered. ‘Hum bate the isliye kate the (Since we were divided, we fell),” the seer-turned-politician said.

Adityanath praised the resolution of the Ayodhya dispute, crediting Prime Minister Modi’s leadership since 2014 and his own tenure as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, which began in 2017, for the issue’s eventual resolution.

“The Congress never wanted to resolve the Ayodhya issue, which was finally resolved in 2019 under Modiji’s leadership,” he added.

Earlier on Tuesday, Adityanath said the new Bharat under PM Modi works for “sabka saath and sabka vikas” and guarantees everyone’s safety and progress.

“Don’t make the mistake of Lok Sabha elections in Amravati. If you are divided again, the puja for Lord Ganesh will be attacked and lands here will be captured in the name of love and land jihad. The safety of women will be in jeopardy,” he said.

In the 2024 general elections, the Congress won the Amravati constituency by defeating BJP nominee Navneet Rana by around 20,000 votes.

Adityanath said in Uttar Pradesh, there was no such issue as “love jihad” or “land jihad.” Right-wingers and BJP leaders describe love jihad as a conspiracy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into marriage and force them to convert. They claim that land jihad implies the capturing of land by members of the Muslim community.

Adityanath also emphasised the strong stance of the UP government on protecting women and the poor.

“There is no love jihad or land jihad in Uttar Pradesh. Anyone who poses a danger to the safety of daughters or dares to capture land belonging to the poor and the government, ‘Yamraj’ will be ready to cut their tickets,” Adityanath added.

He listed various initiatives undertaken by the Narendra Modi government, emphasising the development of infrastructure, including highways, railways, metros, and institutions like IIMs and AIIMS.

“This is a new India,” he declared, pointing to India’s military strength and the successful surgical strikes and airstrikes carried out after 2014.

With inputs from PTI