GORAKHPUR, July 12 -- Accusing both the Samajwadi Party and the Congress of repeatedly undermining India's cultural and religious heritage while pursuing politics based on caste divisions, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday alleged that whenever the two parties were in power, they insulted Hindu faith, failed to deliver development and attempted to divide society along caste lines, thereby obstructing the state's progress. The chief minister also said a policy paralysis prevailed in the state before 2017, which changed after the BJP assumed charge. "They never thought about Ayodhya, Kashi or Mathura and failed to protect India's cultural heritage," he said. In contrast, the current state government has restored the pride of its major religious and cultural centres while simultaneously promoting economic development and employment generation, he asserted. He was addressing public gatherings in Kushinagar and Gorakhpur. He inaugurated the Bhathat-Banssthan four-lane road and laid the foundation stone for 24 development projects worth around Rs.758 crore in Gorakhpur. In Kushinagar, he addressed a public gathering at Takkuva Tar after laying the foundation stone and inaugurating 464 development projects worth around Rs 525 crore. He announced that Kushinagar International Airport will soon become fully operational and will be connected with Jewar International Airport, saying the move would significantly boost tourism, trade and regional connectivity. Referring to the Ram Setu case, he claimed that the then Congress-led Union government had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court questioning the existence of Lord Ram. He appealed to the people to remain vigilant against such politics, asserting that social unity was essential for sustained development. "Today I was reading the statement of a Congress leader claiming that the party had never said Lord Ram was imaginary. I want to ask about the affidavit filed by the Congress-led Union government in the Supreme Court in 2006, in which it attempted to describe Lord Ram and Lord Krishna as myths." "The Congress, from the very beginning, has played with Hindu faith. It opposed inviting the country's first president Dr Rajendra Prasad to the consecration ceremony of the reconstructed Somnath temple and repeatedly insulted India's great personalities. "The history of the Samajwadi Party is stained with the blood of Ram devotees," Adityanath alleged. Adityanath said Ayodhya had emerged as a global spiritual destination following the construction of the Ram temple, while Kashi had undergone a major transformation with the redevelopment of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham. He added that the government was equally committed to preserving the heritage of Mathura and other religious centres alongside economic development. He also said Uttar Pradesh had moved from an era of lawlessness to one of investment, good governance and inclusive development. Earlier in the day, the chief minister visited the Vamant Mata Temple at Banssthan and offered prayers for the well-being, prosperity and happiness of the people of the state. In Kushinagar, he said members of the Musahar community had died of starvation while earlier governments remained insensitive to their plight. He also said the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent global conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war and tensions involving the United States and Iran, had delayed the launch of international flight operations from Kushinagar airport due to disruptions in aircraft deliveries. He added that Kushinagar would eventually be connected with Jewar and Gaya through improved air services. Referring to Kushinagar as the sacred land associated with Lord Buddha's Mahaparinirvana, Adityanath said the district was witnessing rapid development under the BJP government. He also said Japanese Encephalitis, once a major health challenge in eastern UP, had effectively been controlled. He said families in Kushinagar, which was among the worst-affected districts, now feel confident that their children are safe from the disease....