SP govt made efforts to withdraw cases against rioters: CM

Lucknow: Blaming the Opposition for poor law and order in western Uttar Pradesh, which he alleged saw an exodus of Hindus from Kairana and Kandhla, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said the Samajwadi Party govt not just shielded rioters and miscreants but also made an effort to withdraw cases against them.“Before 2017, riots and curfews became our destiny. Kairana and Kandhla were made Hindu-less. Women were not safe. Law and order was destroyed. In 2011, a DIG was attacked in Moradabad. The rioters left him for dead. SP govt did not take action against them. When BJP came to power, govt ensured punishment for them and also established a rule of law,” the CM said.He made these comments after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of development projects worth more than Rs 620 crore for the Saharanpur Nagar and Saharanpur Dehat Assembly constituencies.Yogi also questioned the commitment of SP and Congress to the Hindu faith, asking how they banned Kanwar Yatras, Shri Krishna Janmashtami and Durga Puja pandals, and alleged that the development money was either eaten up by SP’s henchmen or spent on building the boundaries of graveyards.“People who divide in the name of caste and region are weakening you. There is no need to be swayed by their incitement. They never went for the darshan of Maa Shakambhari.

They were opposing Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Mathura-Vrindavan and the Ram Temple. These people said in the Supreme Court that Bhagwan Ram and Shri Krishna never existed. Those who got bullets fired on Ram devotees are now preaching about faith. We will not allow anyone to tamper with faith,” he said.Giving the example of Ayodhya’s development, the CM said the city was once identified with narrow lanes and disorder. Now, it boasts of four-lane connectivity from all sides, a double line of broad gauge and an international airport.He said while SP got the opportunity to form govt four times in UP, it did nothing for Ayodhya. Now, under BJP govt, Ayodhya Dham is shining on the global stage.Yogi also accused the SP and Congress of promoting dynastic politics instead of following the ideals of social reformers and icons such as Sant Ravidas, Maharshi Valmiki and B R Ambedkar.Giving details of Saharanpur’s development, Yogi said the Delhi-Saharanpur-Dehradun Economic Corridor was built at a cost of Rs 12,000 crore.

This corridor reduced the distance between Delhi and Saharanpur to just one and a half hours.“Now Saharanpur is also getting ready for air connectivity. The work of constructing the civil terminal in Sarsawa and expanding the runway is progressing rapidly,” he said.In addition, the CM said his govt also focused on the revival of religious and cultural heritage. He mentioned that a grand elevated corridor was being constructed for the devotees of Maa Shakambhari Devi.Referring to Saharanpur’s renowned wood-carving industry, Yogi said local artisans preserved the craft despite challenges and that wood-carving products worth more than Rs 600 crore wereexported from the district.“Saharanpur now has its own Medical College. The first phase has been completed, and today the foundation stone for the second phase is being laid. Along with ensuring a clean drinking water system, work on the STP is also being started. Our govt is fully committed to providing employment to the youth and ensuring security and self-reliance for half the population,” Yogi said.