Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday targeted leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav and said it requires a strong heart and mind along with the strength of a bulldozer to operate it.
Speaking after distributing appointment letters to 1,334 junior engineers, computer operators and foremen, the CM said that those who yield to rioters cannot run a bulldozer as their hands wouldn’t measure up.
He said that the transparent recruitment process of the UP Subordinate Services Selection Commission, is a process that ensures equal opportunities for all.
Yogi said, “Candidates from every district were represented among those appointed with no distinctions made on the basis of caste or region. Talent and reservation rules were strictly followed in the selection process, instilling confidence in the integrity of the system.”
Contrasting it with the scenario prevalent during the previous governments, he said that the leaders in the past, through their anarchic and corrupt activities, pushed the state into the flames of riots, creating a crisis of identity for the youth of the state.
He said, “These leaders, who once incited caste and religious conflicts, now seek to mislead the people of UP by adopting new guises.”
The CM said that those who looted the state before 2017 now see their dreams shattered, with even ‘Tipu’ (Akhilesh) trying to become a Sultan. “When the public entrusted them with power, they left no stone unturned in jeopardising the future of the state’s youth, creating an identity crisis for young aspirants, businesses and entrepreneurs,” he said.
Yogi assured the youth that the selection process will be fair and based on talent and capability. He pledged to remove any obstacles that might arise and to confiscate the property of those still engaged in dishonesty and corruption, redistributing it among the poor.
The Chief Minister said that the youth were previously denied appointment letters because the ‘Chacha and Bhatija’ were more concerned with outdoing each other in grabbing the bigger share of extortion, rather than having clear and honest intentions.
He drew a parallel between the havoc caused by these leaders and the chaos currently being inflicted by ‘man-eating wolves’ in various districts, likening it to the state of affairs before 2017.
It may be noted that under CM Yogi’s leadership, the past seven-and-a-half years have seen a transformation in the appointment process. Conducted with transparency and fairness, this process has made over 6.5 lakh government appointments, a feat that was unimaginable seven years ago.
Yogi said, “Seven and a half years ago, this state had the seventh-largest economy in the country; today, it ranks second-largest. If our personnel work with equal dedication and apply the same level of transparency, integrity and honesty to the appointment process, UP can become the number one economy in the next three to four years.”
He said, “Achieving this status means every hand will find work, every face will wear a smile, every daughter will be safe, every businessman will be respected, the farmers who feed us will be content, and prosperity will abound.”
The CM urged the newly appointed candidates to uphold the same transparency in their work that the state government has demonstrated in its appointment process. He emphasised the importance of avoiding delays in public-related tasks, highlighting the need to achieve the goal of ease of living.
Yogi said, “When the current administration took office, UP ranked 14th in ease of business; today, it stands as an achiever state. Through various reforms, the state has made significant progress, transforming it from a place where no one wanted to invest into a destination that has received investment proposals worth Rs 40 lakh crore. These investments are expected to create jobs for 1.5 crore youth, revive traditional enterprises previously shuttered due to riots, and expand employment opportunities.”
The CM said, “The One District One Product (ODOP) initiative, a testament to the state’s commitment to economic development and job creation, has become a national brand, providing work to lakhs of people. Besides, connectivity across the state has vastly improved, with expressways, interstate connections, and four-lane roads now linking district headquarters.”
He pointed out that the state, which once struggled to pay salaries, is now a revenue surplus state. “Despite being the most populous state in the country, it not only pays salaries and allowances to employees, but also carries out development works, including building roads, providing electricity, and continuing public welfare initiatives,” Yogi said.
The Chief Minister said that the double-engine government is providing an annual pension of Rs 12,000 to one crore families in the state, made possible because the state has the financial resources. “This support is not achieved by begging for donations,” he said.
Yogi said, “Today, we have expanded from just two operational airports to nine, with work underway on ten more. Four of these are international airports, and we are building India’s fifth-largest airport in Jewar, UP.”
The CM questioned why the previous governments led by Congress, SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which ruled the state for long periods, failed to achieve this level of infrastructure development. “Without discrimination, they couldn’t provide basic amenities like electricity, roads, or jobs. The job sector was plagued by corruption, with those responsible for extortion being as numerous as the characters in the Mahabharata,” he said.
