Cong, SP denied Lord Ram's existence; conspired against devotees: Adityanath
Gorakhpur (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday accused the past governments of the Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) of denying the existence of Lord Ram and conspiring against his devotees.
He made the remark while addressing the forest-dwelling communities at a public gathering in the Vantangiya village, where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 133 development projects worth Rs 49 crore.
This marked the ninth consecutive year that he celebrated Diwali with the Vantangiya villagers as the chief minister.
"Foreign invaders once humiliated Ayodhya, and later, Congress governments made a vile attempt to deny the existence of Lord Ram. The SP government, too, shed the blood of Ram devotees through its conspiracies," Adityanath alleged.
"Today, Ayodhya stands renewed and divine, inspiring the entire world," he added.
He said the grand Deepotsav of Ayodhya has become a "symbol of prosperity and good governance". Adityanath emphasised that the Ayodhya airport has been named after Maharshi Valmiki, a local eatery after Mata Shabari, and a key intersection after legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar.
Statues of prominent southern saints have been installed, and temples dedicated to sages Valmiki and Vishwamitra now stand within the Ram temple complex, he said, adding that the city "unites people today" rather than dividing them.
During the event, the chief minister distributed symbolic house keys under the CM Awas Yojana, Ayushman cards, approval letters for livestock schemes, and certificates from the horticulture department. He also presented "Diwali gifts" to several beneficiaries and inaugurated exhibitions showcasing government welfare schemes.
State Fisheries Minister and Nishad Party president Sanjay Nishad said other states were learning from Adityanath's welfare model.
Local legislators Vipin Singh and Mahendra Pal Singh praised the chief minister's leadership for "uplifting the long-neglected" Vantangiya community.
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18-year-old graphic designer arrested for theft; says he lost job due to AI
Indore (PTI): An 18-year-old graphic designer, who claimed to have lost his job due to AI, was arrested with his NEET-aspirant woman friend on Thursday for allegedly stealing jewelry worth Rs 16 lakh.
The teen duo told police that they were inspired by the 2005 film Bunti Aur Babli, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shrikrishna Lalchandani.
They allegedly stole gold, silver, and diamond jewelry worth Rs 16.17 lakh from a shop in Rau police station area in the city on the night of December 22, the official told reporters.
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The entire booty was recovered from their possession after the arrest in Bhopal where they had fled.
Without disclosing the identities of the accused, DCP Lalchandani said, "Both are 18 years old. The young man is a graphic designer, while the woman is preparing for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). The two have known each other since childhood.
"During interrogation, the young man told us that he used to work part-time as a graphic designer at an IT company, but lost his job due to the company's adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and he was finding it difficult to make ends meet," the official added.
The accused, who come from economically weak background, claimed to have planned the theft after watching "Bunty Aur Babli," he said.
"The accused say they tried to sell the stolen jewelry, but the buyers, thinking they were children, wouldn't pay the right price. So they had decided to sell it after Christmas holidays," the DCP said.
