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Opposition doing politics over Agnipath scheme: Yogi
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath says Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav cheated Azamgarh by vacating Lok Sabha seat
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday accused the opposition parties of doing politics over the Agnipath military recruitment scheme and playing with the lives of the youths.
Yogi was addressing a rally in Azamagarh for the Lok Sabha bypoll scheduled for June 23. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Bhojpuri actor Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’ against former MP Dharmendra Yadav of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Shah Alam aka Guddu Jamali of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the bypoll.
“The Agnipath scheme is being praised by the whole world, but some leaders of the opposition parties are doing politics over it,” Yogi said.
Describing the scheme as a good opportunity for the youth, Yogi said Agniveers will be given preference in government services of Uttar Pradesh and they will get relaxation in other jobs, including in the police.
The term Agniveers refers to soldiers to be recruited in the Army, Navy and the Air Force on short-term contract under newly launched Agnipath scheme.
He also mentioned the reservation to be given to Agniveers in Assam Rifles and the Central Reserve Police Force.
Enumerating another benefit of the Agnipath scheme, he said when a 21-year-old young man comes home wearing a uniform, the family members will feel proud of him and their standard of living will improve.
Targeting the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, he said they are ‘Rahu’ and ‘Ketu’ of Uttar Pradesh’s development.
“The more distance you keep from them, the more development will come to you,” he said.
Yogi also said, “The opportunity has come to you to be involved with the process of making Azamgarh into Aryamgarh. Don’t miss it!”
The chief minister said he had earlier felt that even after becoming an MLA for the first time, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav would not leave Azamgarh, which had supported him in times of crisis but he (Akhilesh) cheated Azamgarh. Akhilesh Yadav vacated the Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat and chose to retain the Karhal assembly seat in Mainpuri district.
The chief minister alleged that the SP government had made Azamgarh “atank ka garh (stronghold of terror)” during its rule, creating a crisis of identity, so much so that “boys from here didn’t get rooms on rent”.
But the BJP’s double engine government (same party in power at the Centre and the state) linked Azamgarh with development.
He said there was no airport in Azamgarh earlier, adding, “We have given the airport. A university is being built here in the name of Maharaja Suheldevji, whose foundation stone was laid by (Union) home minister Amit Shah.”
He appealed to the people to vote for the BJP candidate Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’.
