GONDA: Issuing a warning, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that those who attempt to vitiate the atmosphere of the state would not only suffer in the present but also lose their future.
Addressing a gathering in Gonda in the state of Uttar Pradesh, the Chief Minister assured people that what used to happen prior to 2017 would no longer be allowed to recur.
He inaugurated and laid foundation stones for projects worth Rs 256 crore in the Katra Assembly constituency and Rs 260 crore in Karnailganj, taking the total value of projects in Gonda to Rs 516 crore. He also performed the Annaprashan ceremony for children and visited various stalls.
Accusing previous dispensations of failing to control forces that allegedly incited communal tensions, he said “In 2015-16, attempts were made to create riots during Durga Puja in Gonda. Immersion of Goddess Durga idols was not allowed, and obstacles were created during Ramlila events. Disturbances would begin before festivals and celebrations. Before 2017, those in power would bow before rioters and habitual offenders, and curfews would remain in force for months.”
On the business climate in the state, he said investment did not come in an atmosphere of insecurity. He added that there was once a crisis of identity, youth were distressed, farmers faced difficulties, and women and girls felt unsafe.
“When Uttar Pradesh was counted among the least developed states, it did not receive respect either. Today, all 75 districts, 350 tehsils, 825 development blocks, 762 urban local bodies, 14,000 wards and over 57,000 gram panchayats are receiving the benefits of government schemes without discrimination.”
In an election year, he continued his criticism of previous governments, saying: “There was a time when there were no employment opportunities in the state. When young people went outside Uttar Pradesh, people in other states would keep their distance and look at them with suspicion.”
“The development that has taken place under PM Narendra Modi over the past 12 years and under the BJP's double-engine government over the past nine years has changed this situation. Today, citizens of Uttar Pradesh no longer struggle for recognition,” he added.
He said investment was no longer limited to Noida, Ghaziabad and Meerut, but was now flowing across the state, generating employment opportunities for local youth.
Referring to beneficiaries of government schemes, he said, “eligibility, not identity, determines who will receive government assistance. People from every caste and community are receiving benefits. Under Prime Minister Modi's vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, development schemes will continue to reach every household without discrimination.”
He further said there was a time when taking the name of Lord Ram allegedly invited lathi charges and bullets, and Ram devotees could not visit Ayodhya. Today, he said, devotees could visit Ayodhya freely, while those opposed to Lord Ram cannot.
He added that ancestors would be blessing the present generation for being fortunate enough to witness the construction of the Ram Temple.
Giving the address an electoral tone, he said electing good representatives brought good results, while choosing the wrong ones led to adverse consequences.
“Before 2017, development remained confined to a few pockets whereas his government ensured that medical colleges were established not only in Saifai but also in Gonda, Balrampur, Ayodhya, Basti, Siddharthnagar, Ambedkar Nagar and Sultanpur. Today, there is no district without a medical college or an engineering college, and development is reaching every district equally,” he said.
He also praised Maharaja Suheldev, describing him as a symbol of courage for giving a befitting reply to foreign invaders a thousand years ago.