GORAKHPUR, Oct. 21 -- Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday accused the previous Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) governments of denying the existence of Lord Ram and conspiring against his devotees.

Addressing a public gathering of forest-dwelling communities in Vantangiya village, Adityanath inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 133 development projects worth Rs.49 crore. It was his ninth consecutive Diwali celebration with the Vantangiya villagers as chief minister.

"Foreign invaders once humiliated Ayodhya, and later, Congress governments tried to deny the existence of Lord Ram. The SP government, too, shed the blood of Ram devotees through its conspiracies," Adityanath alleged.

He said Ayodhya now stands 'renewed and ...