CM Yogi accuses previous govt in UP for encouraging rioters in state

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday attacked the previous governments and alleged that they encouraged rioters in the state.

In an apparent dig at the previous Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) governments that had ruled the state before him, Yogi said while his government had a zero-tolerance policy towards rioters, previous governments patronised them.

Addressing the "Samajik Pratinidhi Sammelan" organised by the BJP's Pichhdha Morcha, Mr Adityanath said "These riots affected the celebrations of the majority community whose members were embroiled in fake cases. Rioters are now aware if they are found involved, their seven generations would have to repay the damages caused due to their act."

He said the previous governments imposed curfews on important occasions and encouraged rioters.

"When there were festivals when it was time to honour faith when it was the time for business, curfew used to be imposed because the nature of the previous governments was itself that of riots, and they used to encourage rioters. The entire state was affected by riots," he said, addressing the members of the "Kumhar" community.

He alleged that the previous dispensations only worked for themselves and that was the reason the state of Uttar Pradesh lagged.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given the mantra of sabka saath, sabka nikaas. Before 2014, the slogan of the then government was "sabka saath, lekin parivaar ka vikaas"," he said.

The chief minister said not a single riot has taken place in the state in the last over four years.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party came together in 2019 "like a snake and a mongoose" against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "But thanks to your alertness, they were not able to stop Modi from becoming the prime minister."

UP BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh also spoke on the occasion.