Read more

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh Wednesday said Uttar Pradesh’s economy grew three-fold during the last five years as the state was served by a triple engine government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the contribution of people. In an apparent dig at the Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, he said, “The BJP is real samajwadi as the meaning of samajwad is to free society from fear, hunger and corruption.” Under the previous Akhilesh Yadav’s government, officials were posted on the instruction of mafia, he alleged.

Addressing a rally in the Barhaj assembly constituency of Deoria, Singh said, “With the vision of PM Modi, CM Yogi and the contribution of people, we are running a triple engine government in the state and due to this our pride has increased at international platforms.” “During Akhilesh’s government, officials were posted on the instruction of the Mafia. Our ministers have no blot of corruption. However, most of the ministers of SP, BSP and Congress faced such charges,” Singh said.

“In 2017, when we formed the government in the state the economy was of Rs 11 lakh crore and in 2022 the economy grew and became Rs 31 lakh crore. The Opposition talks of high inflation but during their government there was no pandemic still inflation was higher,” he said. Singh said that within six months inflation will be controlled. “We give free ration twice a month and this arrangement is nowhere in the world.”

On the matter of security, the defense minister said, “We will enter the other side of border and kill terrorists and will never let the head of our ‘Bharat Mata’ bow anywhere.” “Uttar Pradesh has a ‘Ram Rajya’ and not ‘Danga Raj’. Here good people don’t live under fear. Bad people are punished. We do politics to serve society not to form only government,” he said. “When the SP, BSP, raise questions over the valour of our forces, they play politics with the unity of the country. ‘Hamari Soch Imandar hai aur kaam damdaar hai (Our thoughts are honest and work impressive,” he said. “We not only give ration and money but also run bulldozers on mafia,” he said. Deoria will go to polls in the sixth phase on March 3.

Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said the Samajwadi Party-led alliance will score a double-century of seats by the fourth phase of Uttar Pradesh polls. He also took a dig at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his reported promise of providing laptops to those who take “admission in Inter after passing class 12″.

Inter is the short form of Intermediate and refers to classes 11 and 12. “There is a leader in the BJP who… made a statement on distributing laptops and whoever heard it has gone ‘lotpot’ (split their sides laughing).” “He said those who take admission in Inter after Class 12 will be given laptops. Good that he did not say those doing class 10 after Inter will get a laptop, else people would be perturbed,” Yadav said at an election meeting here.

Making light of the BJP targeting the Samajwadi party with new sobriquets, he said, “They are going A for this, B for that … and reading ABCD these days.” “I want to make them learn Hindi… ‘kaka’ stands for ‘kala kanoon’ (black agri laws) which have gone and so will ‘Baba’ (Yogi Adityanath).” Elated over the sizeable crowd in the meeting, the Samajwadi Party chief said many BJP leaders will become invisible after seeing this “‘jansailab’ (sea of people)”. “The polling in the fourth phase will complete a double century for us. It is now the responsibility of the people to ensure a historic win for the Samajwadi Party-led alliance,” Yadav said.

Referring to the violence in the Lakhimpur Kheri district in October last year, he alleged that a minister’s son “mowed down farmers” and the government did not take any action initially. “It was only after the pressure from opposition parties that action was initiated. “The minister’s son has got bail from the court but not from the people’s court. People will get the deposits of BJP candidates forfeited,” Yadav said.

While elaborating on the poll promises of his party, the Samajwadi Party chief alleged the BJP was selling government properties and companies so that they do not have to give jobs. He termed the ongoing elections as the one for saving Uttar Pradesh, the Constitution, democracy and the composite culture.

Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Assembly Elections Live Updates here.