Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], March 26 (ANI): Congress leader and party's Odisha in-charge Ajay Kumar Lallu launched a scathing attack on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday, claiming that the latter has 'no other agenda' than just highlighting the issue of 'Hindu-Muslim.'

'Yogi Adityanath has no other agenda except Hindu-Muslim to talk about. In 8 years of governance, they should show at least one development work done by them in the state,' Lallu told ANI in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

The Congress leader, a former UP Assembly MLA himself, attacked the UP CM further with the claim that the state is 'number one in crimes.'

'As per NCRB data, UP is number one in crimes, particularly crimes against women. Dacoity, loot, that has become the identity of Uttar Pradesh. There is also the issue of unemployment, there are no steps taken by the government on that. The primary school teachers are protesting. They are protesting for over 700 days, they are not saying anything,' the Congress leader said.

Accusing Adityanath of only focusing on attacking the Congress, Lallu claimed that the UP CM does not dare to talk about his own party.

'Why does he not talk about education, employment, of safety? The way he attacks our leaders and our party (Congress), he should tell about his party too. In Odisha thousands of women have disappeared, young girls are birthing babies, this is a BJP ruled state right? What is his reaction on that? You can't get an answer from him,' he said.

The comments by the Congress leader come after CM Adityanath, while speaking to ANI said that if Hindus are safe, then Muslims are also safe in his state.

CM Yogi, highlighting the tolerant nature of Hindus, said that a Muslim family would feel safe among a hundred Hindu families. He, however, questioned the possibility of 50 Hindu families being safe among a hundred Muslim families.

'A Muslim family is the safest among a hundred Hindu families. They will have the freedom to practice all their religious deeds. But can 50 Hindus be safe among 100 Muslim families? No. Bangladesh is an example. Before this, Pakistan was an example. What happened in Afghanistan? If there is smoke or someone is being hit, we should be careful before we get hit. That is what needs to be taken care of,' Yogi said, while adding that he treats everyone equally.

CM Yogi reiterated that Muslims in Uttar Pradesh are the safest, emphasising that communal riots in the state have stopped since the BJP came to power in 2017.

'In Uttar Pradesh, Muslims are the safest. If Hindus are safe, then they are also safe. If there were riots here in UP before 2017, if Hindu shops were burning, then Muslim shops were also burning. If Hindu houses were burning, then Muslim houses were also burning. And after 2017, the riots stopped,' he added.

He also termed Sanatan Dharma as the most ancient religion in the world while asserting that there are no examples in the world where Hindu rulers, using their own strength, have established dominion over others. (ANI)