Kannur: Braving incessant online trolls and a hot sun, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday walked 11 km from Keechery to Kannur as part of the Janaraksha yatra his party organised against ‘red terror’, injecting a new enthusiasm to party workers and attracting impressive crowds. The saffron-clad chief minister enthusiastically shouted slogans which blamed the CPM for political violence in the state, waved and smiled at onlookers who included women and children even as he obliged reporters who asked for bytes during the three-hour yatra which started at 11 am.
Yogi also found time to meet the relatives of slain Yuvamorcha worker Vinod of Payyannur and promised all help to the family before he started off.
He met presspersons at Puthiyatheru at 2 pm where he had lunch, answering even trolls which invited him to visit hospitals and schools and see how well tare they being run by the government in the state. He later addressed an impressive gathering, which gradually swelled, to mark the end of the second day of the yatra. The crowd was made not only of party workers but also of curious onlookers who wanted to catch a glimpse of the priest-turned-controversial politician known for his hardline Hindutwa politics.
The concluding hours reflected the organisational capacity of the BJP with workers hailing Yogi and shouting slogans against the CPM, giving ample hints of the party’s decision to corner the CPM in its own bastion.
Brinda Karat wants Yogi to see hospitals
CPM politburo member Brinda Karat on Wednesday criticised the BJP padayathra in Kerala alleging that it was aimed at creating law and order problem in the state.
Ms Karat took a dig at Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath who joined the yathra in Kannur asking him to visit some of the government hospitals to get a feel of health care facilities in the state.
“The great yogi from Uttar Pradesh can go there and see the development in Kerala and may be it will help the people,” she said
Ms Karat described Amit Shah as encounter specialist.
“They are encountering peace, harmony, principles, ethics and morality,” she added.
