Gorakhpur: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday attacked the previous Samajwadi Party govt for allegedly patronising mafia and turning Uttar Pradesh into a “BIMARU” state, saying development under earlier regimes was confined to the “Saifai syndicate”, while the state was plagued by riots, crime and corruption.Addressing a conference of Provincial Rakshak Dal (PRD) personnel at the Yogiraj Baba Gambhirnath Auditorium in Gorakhpur, Yogi said the progress witnessed in Uttar Pradesh since 2017 was the result of collective efforts and inclusive development.Taking a dig at political opponents without naming them, the chief minister said those criticising the present govt were doing so because they had failed to deliver during their own tenures. Referring to the recent US-Iran conflict, he claimed that some leaders who had allegedly hidden money in Dubai were worried when missiles fell there.He further said that “mafia and goons have been pushed into the abyss” under the BJP govt, contrasting this with previous administrations, which he alleged had bowed before criminal elements.Yogi said the state had undergone a major transformation since 2017, contrasting the present situation with what he described as an era of frequent riots, curfews, poor infrastructure and insecurity.Claiming significant economic progress, Yogi said the state’s economy had tripled in nine years, from around Rs 12 lakh crore to Rs 36 lakh crore.Per capita income, he said, had risen from Rs 43,000 to Rs 1.2 lakh, while the annual state budget had grown from around Rs 3 lakh crore to Rs 9.70 lakh crore.Congratulating PRD personnel on the laying of the foundation stone for a multi-storey barracks, Yogi said improved infrastructure for police, Home Guard and PRD personnel reflected the govt’s focus on their welfare and dignity.He also urged PRD volunteers to follow the principle of “nation first” and remain alert against attempts to divide society along caste, regional or linguistic lines.
