Previous state govts had no policy, intention to work: Yogi

“Previous governments neither had niti (policy) nor niyat (niyat). They lacked the will to do work. The mafia had control over every organisation,” the chief minister said while addressing a meeting of teachers and graduates at Vrindavan, Rai Bareli Road, ahead of the legislative council polls, voting for which is scheduled for October 23.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday accused the previous Samajwadi Party governments of having neither policy nor intention to work and of letting the mafia rule every organisation. He also alleged that the Samajwadi Party ruined the education system.

CM Yogi Adityanath at a meeting of graduates and teachers, in Lucknow on Saturday.

“Previous governments neither had niti (policy) nor niyat (niyat). They lacked the will to do work. The mafia had control over every organisation,” the chief minister said while addressing a meeting of teachers and graduates at Vrindavan, Rai Bareli Road, ahead of the legislative council polls, voting for which is scheduled for October 23.

“They (previous governments) appointed ineligible people as chairmen of recruitment commissions. Someone who did not meet the criteria was made UPPSC (Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission) chairman. When UPPSC results were declared, 56 out of 86 selected SDMs belonged to the same caste,” he alleged.

“The topper had secured only third division in Class 10, 12 and BA. During the SP tenure, exams were conducted in such a manner that those who actually appeared could never be traced, while individuals who had never even appeared would show up with appointment letters,” Adityanath said, calling the Samajwadi Party the “declared enemy of education.”

“Today, UP is in no need of an identity; rather those who created an identity crisis for UP are themselves struggling for identity,” he said.

“A bad tendency has emerged of putting constitutional institutions in the dock. This election should serve as a response to that. The election is being conducted using ballot papers, not EVMs. You must ensure the outcome favours the side of justice,” the chief minister said.

Recalling the pre-2017 Lucknow region, he asked: “What was the Lucknow’s situation 10 years ago? Amethi and Rae Bareli used to boost the influence of a single family, but did this lead to any meaningful effort to improve basic amenities, address youth aspirations, or uphold teachers’ dignity? Was there even a single medical college in Lakhimpur Kheri, Hardoi, Rae Bareli, Amethi and Pratapgarh?”

Listing the “double-engine” government’s achievements in UP, he said the BJP built AIIMS in Rae Bareli and medical colleges in Lakhimpur Kheri, Amethi, Hardoi, Pratapgarh and Sultanpur and drastically improved connectivity.

“Five years ago, the journey from Lucknow to Prayagraj was a nightmare. Today, you cover the same distance in just 2.5 to 3 hours,” he said.

The MLC polls for five graduates’ and six teachers’ seats will be held on October 23 from 8 am to 4 pm, while counting is scheduled for October 27. The election process will be completed before October 31, according to the schedule. The elections were announced because the terms of the members elected from these constituencies end on December 6.

The outgoing MLCs include six from the BJP, three from the SP, and two independents.