Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday launched a scathing attack on the previous Samajwadi Party (SP) government, accusing it of nurturing a “one district, one mafia” culture.
He claimed that his administration replaced this with the One District, One Product (ODOP) initiative, aimed at boosting local industries and employment generation.
Speaking at an event under the CM Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan, where loans were distributed to 365 entrepreneurs, Adityanath stated, “Every district had a mafia under the previous government. We replaced that with ODOP, ensuring global recognition for artisans and local products while generating jobs.”
Without directly naming former Chief Minister and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Adityanath mocked his leadership style, saying, “If the leader of a state wakes up at noon, gets ready by 2 pm, and then goes on picnics with friends, when will he work? The public suffered while his associates looted the state.” Adityanath highlighted key infrastructure projects aimed at improving connectivity, such as reducing travel time between Saharanpur and Delhi to just one hour and 45 minutes. He also mentioned the recent Holi recruitment drive, which resulted in 60,244 new police appointments, including over 12,000 positions for women. “From 1947 to 2017, there were only 10,000 women in the Uttar Pradesh Police. In one drive, we added over 12,000 daughters to the force,” he said.
The Chief Minister emphasised that his government had provided over seven lakh government jobs so far, ensuring a transparent recruitment process free from nepotism or regional bias. He praised the ODOP initiative, citing Saharanpur’s renowned wood carving industry, which now exports goods worth `1,000 Crore globally. “Earlier, these craftsmen existed, but old governments were too busy using them as vote banks instead of providing better designs, technology, packaging, or export facilities,” he remarked.
Adityanath also contrasted the current security situation with the past, claiming that Uttar Pradesh, once known for lawlessness, had become safer under BJP rule. “In the last eight years, security for daughters, traders, and the common man has improved. Only the mafia feel unsafe now,” he said. The Chief Minister asserted that before 2017, the state struggled to attract investment, with traders fleeing due to lawlessness.
“Now, Uttar Pradesh is the second-largest economy in India, and it won’t take long to become the largest,” he added.
He further highlighted the economic impact of the recently concluded Maha Kumbh, which saw over 66 Crore devotees visit Prayagraj. He praised the opportunities it created for locals, from tea stall owners to photographers.
“A tea stall owner said he earned `50-60 Lakh per day. Those who initially questioned the event’s scale eventually came to witness it themselves,” he said.
