Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, while addressing a large public gathering in Deoria, lashed out at Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders for their “shameful” comments on the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.
He said that some SP leaders sounded more like spokespersons for Pakistan than representatives of an Indian political party. “The entire country is united in condemning the terror attack beyond party lines, yet SP leaders are making disgraceful statements. It’s hard to tell whether the comment came from a SP leader or a Pakistani official,” the Chief Minister remarked.
He was referring to remarks made by an SP office bearer in Mumbai and a controversial response from SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, who, when asked why he had not visited the family of slain Kanpur resident Shubham Dwivedi, allegedly said the victim was “not from our party.”
CM Yogi called this response both unfortunate and shameful. He also slammed a national general secretary of the SP for saying “a Hindu killed a Hindu,” claiming it was a veiled attempt to absolve Pakistan of blame.
He accused both the SP and the Congress of indulging in casteist, divisive, and appeasement politics that endanger the nation’s unity and security.
The Chief Minister stressed that the double-engine government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking firm action against terrorism and Naxalism, and that the entire nation is united in this fight.
During his visit to Deoria, the Chief Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 501 projects worth `676 crore. Of these, 341 projects were completed and inaugurated, while 160 new projects were launched.
He distributed cheques worth `7.87 crore to women self-help groups, handed over loan cheques under the Chief Minister Yuva Udyami Yojana, keys to beneficiaries of the Chief Minister Rural Housing Scheme, tractors, and land leases to 37 beneficiaries.
Pension cheques were also handed over to differently-abled and destitute individuals. The Chief Minister also felicitated academic toppers Preeti Kushwaha and Shweta Prasad with certificates and medals.
Addressing the crowd, Yogi Adityanath recalled how, before 2017, Deoria was plagued with disease, lawlessness, and misgovernance.
Festivals couldn’t be celebrated peacefully, youth were migrating in search of employment, farmers were committing suicide, and marginalised communities like the Musahars and Vantangiyas were suffering from hunger.
The then government, he said, was only concerned about the welfare of its own family. “Today, Deoria and Uttar Pradesh are known not for encephalitis, malaria, or dengue, but for highways, railways, metros, and world-class expressways,” he said.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated the district’s first four-storey government degree college offering arts, science, and commerce courses.
A new degree college is being set up in Pathardeva with a focus on commerce education. He also announced the construction of an auditorium in a college at Gauri Bazar to support academic activities. He said that the rise of self-help groups in rural areas, once unimaginable, is now a reality and a sign of development. “Once a hub for riots and disease, today’s Deoria is shaping its identity through development,” he added. Highlighting improvements in connectivity, he announced that a four-lane highway is being built between Deoria and Gorakhpur, linking the region directly to Delhi and other major cities. Similar work is underway on the Gorakhpur-Ballia route and on widening the roads connecting Deoria with Kasia and Padrauna.
He also spoke of the ongoing construction of medical and nursing colleges and emphasised that the government is committed to providing every possible facility to the poor, especially marginalised communities. Yogi Adityanath took a direct swipe at the Samajwadi Party, saying that their politics is centered around their families and caste equations, and that their time in power brought only poverty, unemployment, and insecurity to the people.
In contrast, he said, the present government is working tirelessly for the welfare of the poor, farmers, and youth, with an ambitious plan to connect 15 lakh underprivileged families with government schemes.
He concluded by saying that poverty is not just a challenge for the affected families but for the government as well, and assured the public that his administration will leave no stone unturned in addressing it.