E-Paper
Political power can be inherited, but wisdom can’t, says Yogi
Those who considered power their paternal property have started hatching conspiracies against govt, says CM in Ambedkar Nagar’s Katehri assembly constituency
In an apparent swipe at rival parties, chief minister Yogi Adityanath said political power can be inherited, but wisdom can’t and asserted that heart, brain and passion are needed to run the government.
“Those who considered power as their paternal property have also come to know that now they will not be able to come back to the helm in Uttar Pradesh, so they have started hatching conspiracies against the government,” he said.
The chief minister made the remarks as he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 6,778 development projects worth ₹1231 crore in Katehri assembly constituency in Ambedkarnagar to give a push to the BJP campaign for the upcoming by-election for the seat. This was his third visit to Katehri, which is among the 10 assembly constituencies where bypolls are expected to be held later this year. Earlier, he had launched mega employment and loan fairs in which 6,572 youths were given employment letters.
While the chief minister is visiting all the constituencies where bypolls will be held, his special focus is on Katehri and Milikipur assembly seats that the BJP lost in the 2022 assembly election and are considered Samajwadi Party strongholds.
The BJP had last bagged the Katehri seat in the 1991 assembly election.
National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies and OBC leaders-- NISHAD party chief Sanjay Nishad and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar -- accompanied the chief minister on Sunday.
Reaching out to the OBCs whose votes will be decisive in the by-elections, Adityanath announced the “double engine government” will renovate Maharaja Suheldev’s fort in Ambedkarnagar.
The state government will talk to the ASI to build a grand memorial of Maharaja Suheldev in the fort, he said.
Addressing a public meeting, Adityanath called upon the youths to continue their preparation for government jobs. He reassured the youth of the government’s commitment to provide job opportunities.
“The double engine government is going to give government jobs to two lakh youths. It’s a testament to our commitment to the youth’s future,” he said.
“Six-and-a half lakh youths have been given government jobs in the last seven-and-a-half years. Currently, over 60,200 police recruitments are underway, including 15,000 women. Once this recruitment is complete, another 40,000 police positions will be opened for recruitment,” he said.
Additionally, the Subordinate Services Selection Commission will soon issue 40,000 appointment letters.
He announced that the Uttar Pradesh Education Commission has been established, and recruitment across primary, secondary, higher, technical, and vocational education will proceed swiftly.
Hitting out at the Samajwadi Party, the chief minister said during the SP government, there was an army of criminals whom the SP leaders considered their protégés.
“The more notorious the criminal, the higher the position they will receive in SP. The SP leaders took pride in this. Back then, the police were on the run while the goons and mafia were in pursuit. Today, the situation has reversed—now it’s the mafia on the run, with the police chasing them down,” he said.
Speaking on the protection of women, Yogi emphasised that every daughter is the responsibility of the entire society.
He reminded the public of the SP leader’s actions towards the Ayodhya rape survivor. The SP leaders are shielding the accused who outraged her modesty, he remarked.
Similarly, he mentioned that the individual responsible for an atrocity against a minor girl in Kannauj is also an SP leader, and the party is openly trying to protect him.
“Under the SP regime, goons and mafia brazenly grabbed the land of the poor and businessmen. In contrast, the current government is seizing these illegal properties and redistributing them to the needy,” he said.
Those who once threatened the safety of daughters and businessmen have disappeared, and the remaining mafia are preparing for their inevitable end, he said.
He also criticised those engaging in caste-based politics, accusing them of undermining public safety.
“Whenever the SP grabbed power, its government indulged in appeasement and fuelled chaos, even inciting riots during festivals. The SP and Congress are trying to divide people along caste lines, but now is the time for unity and collective participation in the development process,” he said.
“Before 2017, Uttar Pradesh was plagued by parallel governments run by mafia networks nurtured by the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in every district. For instance, the murder of the president of the Hindu Jagran Manch in Tanda went unaddressed. Since 2017, Uttar Pradesh has been freed from the mafia’s grip,” he said.
Criticising the SP and the Congress for the lack of their commitment to development and public welfare, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has presented a vision of a developed India with a comprehensive 25-year action plan. In line with this, the double-engine government ensures employment and access to irrigation for all, he said.
“The construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya has fulfilled the aspirations of the country’s majority faith. Today, 15 crore people in Uttar Pradesh benefit from ration services, 56 lakh underprivileged individuals have been provided with homes, and 10 crore people receive free treatment under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana,” he said
He assured that caste, religion, or personal affiliations do not influence government schemes.
He called upon the youths to start their businesses, announcing that the government will offer interest-free loans of ₹5 lakh in the first phase and ₹10 lakh in the second phase. He also criticised the SP for internal conflicts and warned that attempting to harm ordinary people will result in police intervention.
“If the common people are touched, the police lathi will fix them,” he said.
