VARANASI Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday appealed to the people of Ghazipur to elect public representatives who can effectively raise their issues, emphasising that development will take place only when good people are elected as MPs and MLAs.
“Where an MP is busy facilitating licences for illegal weapons and has no time for development work, everything is left to the mercy of God. Don’t elect such people,” said Adityanath at a programme in Ghazipur.
“Elect public representatives who can advocate for you, who think of ensuring development. We do not need MPs who are busy facilitating illegal arms licences…we do not need public representatives who orchestrate dacoity and illegal land grabbing using arms acquired on fake licences,” he said in a veiled attack on the family of mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari.
He urged the public to support the “double-engine government” and exhorted them not to give a chance to those who caused an identity crisis, looted jobs, drove farmers to suicide, misappropriated rations meant for the poor and opposed farmers and the youth.
Adityanath accused the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress of creating an “identity crisis” by glorifying foreign invaders instead of honouring Indian heroes.
“The BJP government has honoured Maharaja Suheldev. A thousand years ago, national hero Maharaja Suheldev crushed Salar Masud at Chittaura in Bahraich. Despite this, the SP and Congress never allowed any event to be held in Suheldev’s name; instead, they facilitated a fair dedicated to Masud,” he added.
Adityanath said the BJP government installed a grand statue of Maharaja Suheldev at Chittaura in Bahraich, built a medical college in his name, established a university named after him in Azamgarh, launched the Suheldev Superfast Express between Ghazipur and Anand Vihar, besides issuing a commemorative postage stamp in his name.
Targeting the previous SP government, he alleged it had changed the names of institutions named after Maharaja Suheldev, Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar and Sant Ravidas, saying such decisions reflected disrespect towards great personalities.
The chief minister also claimed Uttar Pradesh had undergone a transformation under the BJP government. “Today, UP has changed… there is no identity crisis anymore,” he said, adding that people from UP now command respect across the country.
Highlighting Ghazipur’s legacy, Adityanath said the district had a long tradition of patriotism and military service. He recalled brave warriors, including Veer Abdul Hamid, and literary figures of Ghaizpur. He mentioned that Gahmar, Asia’s largest village, is home to over 12,000 serving soldiers and army officers, as well as more than 15,000 retired ones.
“Ghazipur’s bravehearts never wavered during the struggle for independence, tribal invasions, the wars of 1962, 1965, 1971 and the 1999 Kargil conflict, or during Operation Sindoor. Dozens of youths from the region also joined the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) formed by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose,” he said.
The CM said that the youth —who possess immense talent— found a platform in UP, and over the past 12 years, lakhs of young people had secured employment through initiatives like PM Startup, PM Stand-Up, Digital India, and Mission Rozgar.
“In UP, more than 9 lakh youths obtained government jobs in the last nine years without needing recommendations or paying bribes. Farmers are benefiting from crop loan waivers and the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. When the energy of the youth is channelled in a positive direction, it sets new benchmarks for progress,” he said.
