The chief minister also sought votes for BJP candidates in a public meeting in Kushinagar.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday claimed that mafias and other criminals used to forcibly occupy the land of the poor and demand "goonda tax" under previous governments, but the state is free of anarchy under the BJP and there is rule of law.
Yogi Adityanath, who was addressing public meetings in eastern Uttar Pradesh - one of poorest regions and a hotbed of mafias and gangsters, sought to woo voters for the upcoming urban body elections by harping on the planks of law and order and development.
The chief minister asserted that security was now guaranteed in the state. "Earlier, the mafia used to demand goonda tax, but today, they are begging for their lives," he said.
The BJP leader alleged that earlier, the SP, BSP and the Congress used to hand out pistols to the youths of the state, but the incumbent government gives youngsters tablet computers.
"SP and BSP used to spread corruption and encouraged criminalisation of politics, diversion of funds and embezzlement in welfare schemes, but today the benefits of development schemes reach every poor," the chief minister said at an election meeting in Deoria.
He charged the previous governments with turning Deoria from a sugar bowl to a bowl of bitterness.
"These people sold the sugar mills at a throwaway price... Because of their disgusting politics, they also created an identity crisis for the youth of the state and forced the farmers to commit suicide.
'But we will restore Deoria to its existence again. A distillery will also be set up here along with ethanol plants," he said.
The chief minister said that the atmosphere of fear that used to be created during festivals till six years ago is no longer there.
Addressing a conference of traders in Gorakhpur earlier, Yogi Adityanath said, "Earlier, the ruling party's goons or the mafia used to forcibly occupy the property and the lands of the poor, but now, Uttar Pradesh has become free of anarchy and there is rule of law in the state." The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has maintained that it follows a zero-tolerance policy against the mafia and over 18O criminals have been killed so far in encounters with the police in the state. However, it has been accused by the Opposition and others of high-handedness and bias.
The criminals killed in encounters in the six years of Yogi Adityanath government included gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad's son Asad and his accomplice.
The UP Police data shows that more than 10,900 police encounters have taken place in the state since March 2017, when Adityanath took over as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for the first time. In these encounters, 23,300 alleged criminals were arrested and 5,046 were injured.
Praising the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also listed the development works of the central and state governments.
Speaking in Maharajganj later at an election meeting, the chief minister claimed, "Earlier, traders used to walk with their heads bowed while criminals and mafia used to go around fearlessly, but now that has been reversed. Cities are being made safe." The BJP's 'double-engine' government is leading the state on the path of progress, he said and urged voters to form a "triple-engine government" by electing its candidates in the civic polls.
He spoke of medical facilities being enhanced in the state.
Those who divide the society in the name of caste are not going to succeed at all, Adityanath said, adding that the BJP government has completely checked such divisions.
There is a double-engine government in Uttar Pradesh and development work is going on at double speed, he added.
Before 2017, most of the districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh, including Maharajganj, used to suffer from encephalitis, but now, this disease has been brought under control. Vantangia villages of the district has also joined the mainstream of development, the chief minister said.
The Vantangiya community comprises people brought from Myanmar during colonial rule to plant trees for afforestation.
The chief minister also sought votes for BJP candidates in a public meeting in Kushinagar.
“Earlier infectious disease on one side and hunger on the other troubled the people. Nine years ago, when the public blessed PM Modi, he changed the picture of the country. The Kushinagar people who were stranded in Sudan were safely transported here,” the chief minister said.
He maintained that willpower is necessary to bring change.
“There was once an atmosphere of fear and panic during the festivals six years ago. Today, there is no nuisance in UP. Festivals shape the identity of the new Uttar Pradesh.” He pointed out that under the SP-BSP regime, water was supplied by installing generators and electricity was only available for a scant 2-4 hours per day.
We are working to provide water to every household in UP. “Kushinagar is our top priority,” he asserted.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)