Guwahati, March 18  Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Wednesday that Lord Ram represents India's culture, identity, civilisation, foundation and etiquette, without whom the nation will not function.

Addressing an election rally at Hojai in central Assam, Adityanath said that since Ram is the symbol of the nation, people of all ages are chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' with love and respect.

Accusing the Congress of indulging in appeasement politics, the BJP strongman said that successive governments led by the party did nothing for the development and progress of the northeastern region or the country.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi scrapped the 'Look East Policy' and instead implemented the 'Act East Policy' for the holistic development of the region. By repealing Article 370, terrorism has been uprooted in Jammu and Kashmir. Before the abolition of Article 370, Assamese people or other Indians were not allowed to purchase land in J&K. 

"The Congress had imposed restrictions on the movement of people from other parts of India to Kashmir. But now with the abolition of Article 370, any Indian can buy property there," he said.

The BJP leader also said that if any one talks about triple talaq now, he will be put in jail. "The NDA government headed by Narendra Modi gave freedom to the Muslim women by declaring triple talaq as illegal," he said.

Appreciating India's Covid-19 management, the Uttar Pradesh CM said that even US President Joe Biden has appreciated Modi for effectively handling the Covid-19 pandemic in India, vaccinating its citizens and also sending vaccines to the friendly countries.

Meanwhile, the opposition Congress in Assam said in a statement that the party is amazed at the remark of Adityanath that Srimanta Sankardeva, a 15th century Vaishnavite Saint, was fighting against infiltrators at that time.

"This proves how much they know about the culture they claim they are going to protect. While Yogi-ji talks about much revered 15th century saint Srimanta Sankardeva fighting against infiltrators, he should know exactly what Srimanta Sankardeva fought against," Congress spokesperson Bobbeeta Sharma said.

She added that Srimanta Sankardeva was against the exploitation of people by those who followed the ideologies and dogmas laid down by Manusmriti and also against idol worship. 

"He believed in assimilation of society and was fighting against the caste system. So Yogi-ji needs lessons in history as does the Prime Minister who had said that Lachit Barphukan was a freedom fighter whereas Lachit Barphukan was an Ahom General who fought the famous battle of Saraighat in 1671.

"The BJP keeps talking about Srimanta Sankardeva and Bir Lachit Barphukan at the drop of a hat, yet they do not know who they were or what they stood for. The party (BJP) just talks in the air and thinks that the people of Assam do not notice anything. They are trying to impose Nagpur culture on the Assamese people. But the people of Assam know very well how Nagpur culture can engulf and destroy Assamese culture," Sharma said in her statement.