Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a blistering critique against political rivals while unveiling major infrastructure initiatives in Gorakhpur on Thursday. During a massive public gathering, he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 14 development projects valued at over 995 crore rupees. Using this prominent stage, the Chief Minister drew a sharp contrast between his administration's governance model and the alleged misrule of the previous regimes, specifically targeting the Samajwadi Party and the Congress for betraying the state's youth, farmers, and religious traditions.
The Economic Toll on Sugar Mills and Farmers
Delving into the state's recent political history, the Chief Minister characterized the ten-year period from 2007 to 2017 as an era of severe economic mismanagement. He accused the political alliance of the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, and Congress of actively dismantling the region's industrial backbone during this decade. The most glaring example he cited was the permanent closure of 29 sugar mills across the state. According to his address, these vital agricultural processing facilities were sold off at throwaway prices. This administrative decision not only devastated the local economy but also inflicted a massive blow on the farmers, known as the Annadata, and pushed countless young workers into deep unemployment, effectively snatching away their rightful economic opportunities.
Dismantling Recruitment Syndicates for the Youth
The speech then pivoted to the critical issue of employment generation and the integrity of the state's recruitment processes. The Chief Minister alleged that under the previous Samajwadi Party rule, government job openings were tightly controlled by corrupt syndicates. These networks engaged in widespread discrimination, systematically cheating deserving candidates and blocking the youth from securing their rightful positions. In stark contrast, he highlighted the transparency of the current system. Recounting his personal interactions in Lucknow, he noted how newly recruited officers proudly declare their Gorakhpur origins. Today, the youth from the region are being selected for the UP Police, hired as teachers, and are clearing the rigorous UP Public Service Commission exams to become Sub-Divisional Magistrates and Deputy Superintendents of Police, with all selections based purely on merit and without the need for any political recommendations.
Restoring Peace During Major Religious Festivals
Addressing the state's historical law and order challenges, the focus shifted to the pre-2017 era, which was painted as a period defined by peak anarchy and frequent riots. The Chief Minister explicitly pointed out that major festivals, including Holi, Vijaya Dashami, Durga Puja, and Ram Navami, were regularly marred by violence. Furthermore, he reminded the audience that events like Janmashtami celebrations were restricted, and the annual Kanwar Yatra was not allowed to proceed peacefully. Highlighting the changing political rhetoric of his opponents, Yogi Adityanath said, "Those who used to attack faith have today taken the contract to become the biggest believers."
The Ram Temple Movement and Political Hypocrisy
Expanding on the theme of religious faith, the Chief Minister did not hold back in reminding the public of the opposition's historical stance on the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. He recalled how deliberate obstacles were consistently placed in the path of the temple's construction. This included the tragic orders to fire bullets at Ram Bhakts during the height of the movement and the strategic deployment of lawyers in the Supreme Court specifically to oppose the temple. He declared that it is entirely laughable when leaders with such a track record now attempt to preach morality and present themselves as champions of faith, the youth, and the farmers.
Security, Development, and the Polling Booth Strategy
Concluding his comprehensive address, the Chief Minister emphasized that previous governments had created severe security crises, leaving businessmen and the daughters of the state highly vulnerable. Today, however, he asserted that robust development is possible solely because a secure environment has been firmly established. He reaffirmed the commitment of the double engine government to ensure that the benefits of development schemes reach every village, poor citizen, farmer, youth, and woman without any bias or discrimination. This major Thursday event followed another strategic meeting he held in Gorakhpur on Wednesday, where he motivated his cadre by stressing that the real battlefield of any election is the polling booth, and securing it is the ultimate key to electoral victory.
