Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Tuesday that the Lok Sabha election is about corruption versus zero tolerance for which a strong government is required to ensure that jails are reserved for corrupt individuals and the mafia and can only be done under the leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Addressing the Prabuddh Varg Sammelan in Pilibhit, the CM said that prior to 2014 the country was plagued with mistrust and chaos. “However, since 2014 there has been a transformative shift in India’s landscape. Presently, the world witnesses a new India, committed to ensuring security, prosperity, youth employment and trust among its citizens,” he said.
He said, “Our generation considers itself fortunate because we have seen a changing India. Before 2014, the common people had lost faith in the government, and politicians. In such circumstances, global esteem for Indians had diminished. It was a time when our farmers were resorting to suicide, and the youth were forced to migrate. Extremism and Naxalism were dominant in the country.”
Highlighting the transformation post 2014, Yogi said that today, the world witnesses a new India. “The nation’s prestige has soared globally. People now proudly proclaim their Indian identity under the leadership of the world-renowned Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.
Stating that the picture of the country changed after 2014, he said, “Today the world is seeing a new India. The country’s stature has elevated globally. Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the world’s most popular politician, people today proudly say I am an Indian,” he said.
During this, the CM also appealed to vote in favour of PWD minister in the state government and BJP candidate Jitin Prasad. He said that today’s youth are not migrating but rather venturing into entrepreneurship by establishing their own startups.
He said that Indians are proudly gaining respect in the world under the leadership of PM Modi. He highlighted the complete eradication of terrorism in Kashmir, extremism and Naxalism in the North-Eastern states resulting in a safer environment across the nation.
Yogi said that UP has seen a decline in criminal activities, providing a safer space for daughters and businessmen. He also mentioned the successful management of curfews while ensuring the continuation of cultural events like the Kanwar Yatra.
He said, “Efforts are underway to harmonise heritage with development initiatives. Initiatives such as the establishment of medical colleges, the construction of roads and bridges in Pilibhit, are being actively pursued to integrate the region with the broader developmental agenda. The government is promoting Pilibhit as a prime destination for eco-tourism.”
The CM said that in Pilibhit, electric fencing has been installed around farmers’ lands situated amidst forests to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. “Moreover, the state government has introduced compensation measures for farmers affected by wildlife conflicts by integrating the loss of lives in the disaster category,” he said.
He said that when PM Modi took charge of the country in 2014, India was considered as the 11th economy in the world. “At that time, the country was seen as backward. However, today, the country has become the fifth-largest economy. He assured that under PM Modi’s third term, India is poised to ascend further, aiming to secure the position of the third-largest economy in the world within just three years,” he said.
Yogi mentioned that this election is going to be ‘family first’ versus ‘nation first’ and ‘mafia rule’ versus ‘law and order’. “Remember whether it’s SP or Congress, their party president can only be someone from a particular family, while PM Modi, coming from an ordinary poor family, has dedicated his entire life to the country. For him, the 140 crore people of India are his family,” he said.
He reflected on the Samajwadi Party (SP) era, characterised by youth brandishing guns, contrasting it with his administration’s efforts to provide tablets to empower the youth. He warned that if representatives from SP, Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party (SP) come to power, mafia influence will likely prevail, whereas the BJP prioritises the rule of law.