SP govt did nothing for poor, but sought to free terrorists: UP CM

Yogi Adityanath made the allegation while addressing a public rally in Budaun, one of the Samajwadi Party strongholds, and asking people to remember “the first things” done by the previous government.

Lucknow:After coming to power in 2012, the previous SP government did nothing for the poor and women but sought to withdraw cases against terrorists, including those behind the terror attack at Ram Janmabhoomi, UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav alleged on Tuesday.

Adityanath made the allegation while addressing a public rally in Budaun, one of the Samajwadi Party strongholds, and asking people to remember “the first things” done by the previous government.

“After coming to power, the0 for the poor, women, youth and farmers but withdrew cases against the terrorists who had attacked Shri Ram Janmabhoomi,” Adityanath said.

The chief minister was apparently referring to a 2012 move by the then government to withdraw cases against over a dozen alleged terrorists, which had been blocked by the Allahabad High Court.

"The previous government used to withdraw cases against terrorists and rioters and invite them to the CM's residence to honour them. But our government sent terrorists to ‘dusra lok' ( out of the world) There is no leniency with terrorists nor any compromise with rioters,” the chief minister reiterated.

"Try to remember what was the first thing done by the Samajwadi Party when it came to power in 2012. First, riots took place in Kosikalan, then in Bareilly and then in Muzaffarnagar and Lucknow and Kanpur. There was no district in the state where riots did not take place,” said the chief minister.

Before 2017, the law and order situation in UP was bad, festivals were never allowed to be held peacefully and anarchy was at its peak, the chief minister said, adding the women and girls did not feel safe in the state. No one was willing to invest either here as they knew investing here was not safe, he said.

"In the last four-and-half years, all festivals have been held peacefully. Before 2017, there was no COVID-19 pandemic but owing to curfew during festivals, there was an attack on our faith," he said.

"If someone raised a voice against rioters, they were framed in false cases and harassed. After 2017, however, there have been no riots in the state," the chief minister added.

Adityanath also said owing to a zero-tolerance policy of his government against crime and criminals, UP has become an example in the country on how to act against criminals enjoying the patronage of those in power.

"Properties of the mafia dons worth Rs 1,800 crore have been seized and properties worth almost the same amount which could not be seized, were razed to the ground by bulldozers," he said.

Terming Ayodhya as our identity, the chief minister said once people hesitated in visiting Ayodhya and doubted the very existence of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna, besides questioning the need of having a Ram temple there.

But you have seen how the Uttar Pradesh government organised the Deepawali Utsav in Ayodhya that the entire world saw. We attracted the country and the world towards Deepawali in Ayodhya by making the festival an event," the chief minister pointed out.

Accusing the previous SP government of indulging in corruption and undermining the identity of the people of the state, Adityanath asserted, Their agenda was confined to them and their families. And that is why each of their work reflected their ego.

"But in the last four-and-half years, you have seen a new UP and a changing image of UP," he said.

Accusing the opposition parties of isolating themselves from people during the pandemic, Adityanath said, "At the time of COVID-19, the Union and state governments and BJP public representatives ventured out to serve people but nothing was known about opposition leaders.

“All of them were in home isolation and self-quarantine. When these people did not reach out to you at the time of crisis, they should be asked to keep aloof in elections as well,” he said.

“They were on Twitter during the pandemic and they will be given replies on Twitter itself," the chief minister said.

He said UP has emerged as the number one state in many schemes of the Centre and sought to know why the welfare schemes were not implemented before 2017.

"For previous governments, their own dynasty was the state. The 24-25 crore people of the state never meant anything to them. They were only interested in their own families earning money, buying property abroad and securing their families by purchasing an island, Adityanath said.

Keeping the state safe was not their agenda. They embraced criminal and mafia elements, let the law and order situation worsen. They had no agenda of development either, he said.

"But for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and me, 130 crore people of the country, including 25 crores of UP, are our family," he said.

Recalling deployment of 'anti-Romeo squads' as among his government's first steps, Adityanath said ensuring the safety and security of women was his government's top priority.

He also said his government closed all illegal slaughterhouses in the state.

Later, while inaugurating some completed projects and laying foundation stones for some new ones, worth Rs 226 crores at Jalalabad and Khirni Bagh in Shahjahanpur, Yogi said, "There was no concrete plan for the villages, poor, farmers, youth and women before 2017.”

“Even transfers, postings and appointments were made on the basis of money power and not on merit," he said.

By helping the BJP come to power, the people have not only bolstered the morale of the party workers but also made their own present as well as the future of their coming generations bright.

PTI