UP civic polls: Adityanath says BJP govt 'put Aligarh lock' on riots in state

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said the "double-engine" government of the BJP has "put an Aligarh lock" on riots in the state.

Campaigning for the ongoing urban local body polls in Aligarh, which is famous for its locks, Adityanath hit out at opposition parties for promoting "tamancha culture" (country-made pistol) in the state.

"The double-engine government of the BJP has put an Aligarh lock over riots in the state and made UP riot-free," Adityanath said.

"Double engine" is a term often used by BJP leaders to refer to the party ruling at the Centre and in a state.

The UP CM said people with 'parivarvadi' (dynastic') and 'jaativadi' (casteist) mindset gave 'tamanchas' (country-made pistols) to youth after coming to power.

"We changed this tamancha culture and provided tablets to two crore youths," he said.

He said Aligarh is known all over the world for its locks and the BJP government is working towards its revival.

"The lock industry (of Aligarh) will be given a global platform with the help of one district one product initiative," he informed.

"Taala (locks), taaleem (education) and tehzeeb (culture) of Aligarh were once its identity. But the casteist mindset of the dynastic parties has shut down the lock industry of Aligarh, and created obstructions," he said.

"These casteist and dynastic parties have nothing to do with education and culture. They adopted the policy of divide and rule and used it to divide society on the basis of appeasement. They made an effort to increase the gulf in society. As a result of this, there was an atmosphere of fear among the people even during festivals," Adityanath said.

Aligarh will vote in the second phase of the urban local body polls on May 11. The votes will be counted on May 13.

Adityanath said people of the state were forced to face curfews for a long time.

"But today, you are seeing Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh and India transforming. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the perception about India has changed, and Indians are seen with respect wherever they go," Adityanath said.

"What could not be achieved in the last 60-65 years has been achieved in nine years. The government has worked hard to put an end to terrorism, naxalism and separatism in the country," he said.

Referring to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Adityanath credited the efforts of the BJP's double-engine government to resolve a 500-year-old dispute.

"Today, Kashi Vishwanath Dhaam is being constructed in Kashi, whereas Mathura and Vrindavan are being decorated. Along with this, beautification of Naimisharanya, Vindhyavasini Dham, Lalapur of (sage) Valmiki and Rajapur of Tulsidas (both in Chitrakoot) is also underway," he said.

The UP CM also informed that an MoU has been signed with the Airport Authority for the building of an airport in Aligarh.

"We are going to connect it with air service and for the extension of the airport, Rs 700 crores have already been released," he said.

"In addition, construction of the four-lane highway from Ghaziabad to Kanpur via Aligarh is going on at a fast pace," Adityanath said, adding that a power plant is being set up at Harduaganj which will make Aligarh the centre of energy production.

The chief minister also said that the BJP's double-engine government has named a university after Maharaja Mahendra Pratap Singh, who fought for the country's independence and also donated land for the Aligarh Muslim University, although there is no "shilapat (nameplate) of his in the AMU".