Lacerating the Congress party over the Ram temple issue, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath Saturday (10 November), asked whether the Congress was concerned about Babur or Lord Ram, reports Hindustan Times.

“They (Congress) should be asked if their relation is with (Lord) Ram or with foreign invader Babur. The Congress has no respect for the country and for itself.", the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said.

These comments are reported to have come when senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal had petitioned the court with the plea that a decision on Ayodhya issue should not been taken before 2019.

Yogi, while addressing a poll rally in Chhattisgarh, lashed out at the Congress saying that it had toyed with national security and actively and covertly facilitated Naxalism in Jharkand and Chattisgarh for political dividends.

“The Congress, for its own gains, played with the security of the country. Be it Chhattisgarh or Jharkhand, where the issue was giving asylum to Naxalites or using states like Kashmir for political benefits. But for the BJP, national security is of prime importance, hence (it) never accepted toying with it,” Adityanath said.

Despite its extensive mineral deposits and forest resources, Chhattisgarh remained “poor, backward and as a BIMARU state” during the Congress rule, he said and lashed out at the Congress for its “anti-national governance”.

“Today, the forest wealth is being used for the welfare of locals. The adivasis (tribals) and forest dwellers are being given benefits of development schemes,” the priest-turned-politician said.