BJP MP Ravi Kishan compared Gorakhpur to Spain while speaking at the inauguration of a Kalyan Mandapam in Basharatpur on 29 August 2026. Kishan said he felt proud of Gorakhpur and that the city felt like Spain. He also said that people who could not see the changes in Gorakhpur were “blind”. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was present at the event. Kishan’s remarks prompted laughter from Yogi Adityanath and others in the audience. The remarks were made while Kishan spoke about the changes he said he had seen in Gorakhpur over the years. A video of his comments has since circulated on social media.