Lucknow, May 3 (IANS): In the wake of a former Pakistani minister praising MP Rahul Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath tore into the party on Friday.

Talking to reporters on Friday, CM Adityanath said that it was evident that 'Congress ka haath, desh ke dushmano ke saath (The Congress is with the nation's enemies).’

The Chief Minister’s accusation came in the wake of reports that Fawad Hussain, a former minister in Pakistan’s Cabinet under Imran Khan, shared a video featuring him praising Rahul Gandhi on social media.

“If Modi and the BJP win, Diwali is celebrated in the country, whereas if Congress wins, it is celebrated in Pakistan. The people of the country should understand this difference and reject anti-national elements,” he claimed.

The UP CM said that the elections have reached their peak and those who are enemies of the country will make efforts to disrupt the atmosphere.

He further stated that this shows that the Congress and the enemies of the country are together.

"If PM Modi emerges victorious, it will be akin to Diwali in India, but if Congress achieves success, Pakistan appears pleased. It's crucial for the citizens to take note of these statements and comprehend the intentions of the anti-India forces involved," he alleged.

He claimed that the Congress strayed from its path post-Independence.

“Motivated by self-interest, it initially fostered national division and pursued appeasement policies for political gain. The adverse effect of appeasement policies was that separatism and extremism reached their peak within the country. Additionally, the Congress government's corrupt practices led to the rapid spread of Naxalism,” he claimed.

“Over the past decade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts have effectively curbed terrorism, Naxalism, and extremism," he pointed out.