I do not have any special interest in criticizing Yogi Adityanath unless the situation demands it or there is a specific question pertaining to Yogi. I write about my opinion only when there is a question about him - like this one. Since I am not a resident of UP, I am hardly concerned about him in a state-specific way. To that extent, I am neutral about him. Most of the questions on this platform pertain to national interest or regional issues which have national ramifications. UP is the biggest state in India and it elects 80 MPs of the Lok Sabha. To that extent, UP is important in the national platform. UP is the most populous state in India. In that sense what the UP government does or does not do has a national concern and significance.
Otherwise, if we see from a very narrow angle, being a native of another state why should I be concerned about the UP government of Yogi. And I would have loved to mind my business. However, that is not the case. For example, if the UP government doesn’t focus on creating employment opportunities to feed its own population. The increasing trends of the UP population would create an influx problem for other states eating up local employment opportunities in those states. It is very important for every state to be self-sufficient in employment creation. And if a state like UP with its huge population size remains net negative in employment generation it is a huge concern. However, the local government in UP is mostly consumed in paying attention to religious affairs. It is to that extent I am critical of the role of the UP government because it affects the well-being of others. If India is to prosper, it can not do so without the all-round development of UP.
Now suppose UP is developing or not developing, does it still bother me? Possibly yes. What is the Yogi government exporting to other states? Religious polarization, religious hatred, Hindi expansionism. Yogi government minister gave a statement that people who don’t speak Hindi should leave India. This is where I criticize Yogi. He is not minding his own business.
‘No place in the country if you don’t speak Hindi’: UP minister Sanjay Nishad stokes row
Nishad party president and Uttar Pradesh minister Sanjay Nishad said Hindustan is not a place for those who do not speak Hindi. (PTI)
“Those who want to live in India will have to love Hindi. If you do not love Hindi, it will be assumed that you are a foreigner or are linked to foreign powers. We respect regional languages, but this country is one, and India’s Constitution says that India is ‘Hindustan’ which means a place for Hindi speakers,” he told reporters in Lucknow. “Hindustan is not a place for those who do not speak Hindi. They should leave this country and go somewhere else,” he added.
It is important to point out that Hindi is not our national language. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages as per the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution
Then the Yogi government declared that the Ram Mandir under construction would be the national temple. Why so? Is it not the subjugation of other major temples in India of historical significance? Is it the subjugation of the believers of other sects? I do not have any issue if he declares Ram Mandir as the state temple. But he is crossing the jurisdiction of his state. How could he decide that Ram Mandir would be the national temple? Who gave him the authority to decide on behalf of the nation? It's a religious matter, even the PM does not have any authority to put up a tag demeaning other temples. What are the criteria to decide on the national temple?
'Ram mandir will be the national temple of India': Yogi at foundation stone ceremony
The Ram mandir being built in Ayodhya will be 'the national temple of India', Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said Wednesday after an event to lay the foundation stone of the temple's 'garbhagriha', or sanctum sanctorum.
I understand that there has been a constant effort to establish the supremacy of the Yogi government over other state governments. But how? By showing hotels and flyovers of another state as proof of UP’s development? This is where I have an objection. I know the new paper gave clarification that they have published the wrong image inadvertently. But everybody knows it is childish. A national daily can not make such a mistake. Otherwise UP government would have filed a defamation case against the daily. But no such action was taken against the daily. Secondly, if the wrong image was published, why the daily was not forced to publish a free Ad with the right image?
A full-page advertisement by the Uttar Pradesh government on the front page of The Indian Express, on Sunday, 12 September, has come to be heavily criticized by netizens.
The ad, titled "Transforming Uttar Pradesh Under Yogi Adityanath", consists of a picture of a flyover and other buildings that are very evidently from Kolkata, as many on social media have pointed out. The ad consists of a quote by the UP CM accompanied by a text piece. The piece states, "Uttar Pradesh, in 2021, is a vastly changed place".
People were quick to point out that the flyover shown in the ad was the Maa Flyover in Kolkata, one of the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government's flagship projects in the city. The blue and white paint is a trademark for all government projects, buildings, and schemes since Banerjee took over as chief minister in 2011. That apart, the brown, glassed building that is shown next to the flyover is also the JW Marriott hotel in Kolkata. If one zooms in, one can also see the ITC Sonar Bangla Hotel next to it. The two hotels are next to each other in the city and overlook the Maa flyover. Also while zooming one can see Kolkata’s trademark yellow Ambassador taxi.
The NITI Aayog report and RBI report have exposed the poor condition of the state in economic and health parameters. The per capita state GDP of UP is the lowest in the country and half of the national average. Even a state like Tripura has a per capita GDP double that of UP. As per the RBI handbook, the per capita Net State Domestic Product of UP stood at Rs.65431/- for the year 2020–21, the lowest in the country against the national average of Rs.128829/-, even states like Tripura have recorded NSDP of Rs.129995/-. On the NITI Aayog Health Index, Uttar Pradesh is at the bottom with an Index Score of 30.57. So don’t be surprised if the actual Covid morality of UP turns up to be very high.
UP recorded the highest increase in crime against women, at 66.7%, in four years to 2019. The state government seems to have gone hostile to suppressing public outcry. In 2019, UP alone accounted for nearly 15% of all registered crimes against women in India. With 59,853 registered cases, the state saw 164 such crimes, on average, every day. The alleged gang rape of a Dalit woman by Thakur men in Hathras in Uttar Pradesh is known to all. As many as 22 sedition cases were filed after the Hathras incident.
The alleged gangrape of a Dalit woman by Thakur men in Hathras in Uttar Pradesh sparked protests across India | PTI
With eighty MPs, UP plays a very big role in deciding the political course of India. In that sense direction of UP politics is crucial for India. If UP moves in the right direction good for India. But if UP moves in the wrong direction of political discourse India will be doomed. The way Yogi is doing religion-oriented politics people are greatly concerned. In the last few weeks, we have seen what could be the repercussions of hate politics.
You can not remain indifferent about Yogi or his political agenda even if you are sitting in a distant corner of the nation. Because sitting at UP Yogi and his politics could touch you, influence, or disturb you. That is where I criticize Yogi because he is pursuing hate politics and politics of religious polarisation which could put India in danger.
People may argue that the Yogi government is doing a great job and that’s why the people of UP have elected him for the second term after decades. Quite a strong argument. But Lalu and his family also ruled Bihar for 15 years. CPI(M) ruled Bengal for 34 years. However, nobody regards the Lalu rule in Bihar and the CPI(M) rule as the best thing to happen. Mamata has been elected for the 3rd term in Bengal. But people across the country criticize her for her appeasement politics and supporting infiltration from Bangladesh. Mamata could be the CM of Bengal, however, she doesn’t have the birthright to do whatever she wishes in Bengal. Similarly Yogi doesn't have unconditional authority to do whatever pleases him. The nation could be jolly well concerned about what they do, right or wrong. Not only the nation there could be international voices as well
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