Yogi compares INDIA bloc leaders to Mahatma Gandhi's 3 monkeys: 'Pappu, Tappu and Akku'

The UP CM was addressing an election rally in Keoti assembly segment of Darbhanga district

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday called Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav of RJD and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav as "three monkeys of INDI Alliance".

Addressing an election rally in Keoti assembly segment of Darbhanga district, the senior BJP leader said the "three new monkeys" were unable to see, unwilling to hear and incapable of speaking about all the good work that was being done by the ruling NDA.

"Mahatma Gandhi's three monkeys saw, heard and spoke no evil. But now, we have three monkeys of the INDI Alliance. The new monkeys are Pappu, who sees no good work done by NDA, Tappu, who cannot hear about it, and Akku, who will not admit to these while speaking," said the firebrand leader.

He also alleged that the Congress, RJD and SP were embracing criminals in Bihar, allowing infiltrators to compromise with the state's security. "These are the people who divide people in the name of caste and perpetuate riots," Adityanath alleged. "Let us resolve that we shall neither be divided nor fight with each other (na batenge, na katenge)."

Referring to the alleged misrule when the RJD-Congress combine was in power in Bihar, he alleged, "Back then, ration shops got looted. Today, 80 crore people, including those in Bihar, are getting free ration." Adityanath claimed that if the NDA government returns to power in Bihar, it will "chase infiltrators out of the state, and redistribute their wealth among the poor".

Adityanath asserted the BJP has fulfilled the promise of constructing the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, and now it will build "Ma Janaki’s temple in Sitamarhi and connect it with Ayodhya through the Ram Janaki Marg".

The Uttar Pradesh CM said PM Narendra Modi has constituted the Makhana Board and the double-engine government in the state is working to promote "lacquer bangles" -- traditional bangles made of natural resin named lac.

Addressing another rally in Muzaffarpur district, Adityanath alleged the RJD had "deprived Bihar ofits identity". "In order to regain the state's lost glory, Bihar's people are committed to electing the double-engine NDA government," he claimed.

He claimed that the NDA government offers "vikas and virasat (development and heritage conservation)" alongside "samriddhi and suraksha (prosperity and security)".

Adityanath alleged that more than 30,000 kidnappings took place during the RJD rule.

"Even IAS and IPS officers were not willing to work in Bihar, as they were expected to carry the spittoon of Lalu Prasad," he claimed.

What does Congress say?

The Congress countered the UP chief minister by claiming that he insulted Lord Hanuman through his remarks. Congress leader Pawan Khera told Times of India, "He is a Yogi, but he is insulting Hanuman ji. Imagine a Yogi insulting Hanuman ji. What can we say? The public is watching and hearing this."