Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday labelled the Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal (SP-RLD) alliance as “opportunistic and anarchist” and emphasised that riots were a thing of the past in Uttar Pradesh, which was carving out a new identity on the basis of good governance, positive thinking and nationalism.
He also said U.P. has taken a great leap on the development front.
“SP-(Rashtriya) Lok Dal alliance is opportunistic and anarchist. They are having problems now that we are restoring order and ending chaos,” Yogi Adityanath said at rallies in Meerut, Bulandshahr, Hapur and Ghaziabad in western U.P. ahead of the second round of civic polls to be held on May 11.
The SP and the RLD are contesting the Uttar Pradesh civic polls in alliance. They had fought the 2022 UP assembly polls too as allies.
“Earlier, curfew used to be imposed before festivals, whereas there is no curfew today, and Kanwar Yatra is the identity of U.P now. There have been no riots in the state in the last six years, which is a sign of the government’s commitment to maintaining law and order and ensuring the safety of its citizens,” Yogi Adityanath said.
He further said the dynastic opposition parties handed guns to the youth, whereas “we are developing smart and safe cities, giving tablets to our youth, and linking them with technology and training.”
{{/usCountry}}He further said the dynastic opposition parties handed guns to the youth, whereas “we are developing smart and safe cities, giving tablets to our youth, and linking them with technology and training.”
{{/usCountry}}Underscoring improved connectivity in the state, he said, “Nobody used to think that an expressway would be ready in time to connect Meerut with New Delhi, reducing the travel time from four hours to 45 minutes. The distance from Meerut to Prayagraj is covered in 16 hours now, but once the Ganga Expressway is completed, it will take six hours.”
He mentioned that the country’s first rapid train would connect Delhi to Ghaziabad via Hapur and Meerut.
These projects will potentially boost economic growth and development in the area, he said.
In Meerut, he mentioned the sports goods industry and said it was getting a boost under the ODOP scheme.
In Bulandshahr, Adityanath spoke about civic transformation and said, “Our cities are now being seen as smart cities rather than garbage dumps.”
Stating that Bulandshahr is known for its historical background in the freedom movement, he added, “Today, this district’s pottery sector has established its own identity on the global stage. The double engine government is building a medical college in Bulandshahr in the name of Kalyan Singhji.”
He said that there is no dearth of money for development. A triple engine government is needed to increase the pace of development by three times.
In Ghaziabad, he said prior to 2017, daughters were frightened to go to school, and women were unable to go to the markets but the situation has changed today.
Hinting at previous regimes, he said some used to spend money on Haj House and some on graveyards.
“We have built Mansarovar Bhavan in Ghaziabad. The construction work of Purvanchal and Uttarakhand Bhawan in Ghaziabad is also going on at a fast pace,” he said.
Stating that there was dirt all over the place earlier, he said, “Today, Ghaziabad has earned the top spot in the nation in the Swachh Bharat Mission.”
In Hapur, he said the construction of Jewar International Airport would improve connectivity and benefit the region economically.
“Hapur has its own identity and unique products, such as the Hapur Papad. The current government has taken steps to recognise and promote Hapur’s identity at the global level, whereas the previous government neglected it. Also, work is being done in Babugarh to develop Garhmukteshwar as a holy place,” he said.
(WITH AGENCY INPUTS)