Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, criticizing previous state governments, said he had no fear of losing the chief minister’s chair due to the “myth” that any chief minister who visits Noida loses his chair.
Recalling how he was once advised not to visit Noida soon after becoming chief minister, Yogi said he was told this because chief ministers who had visited Noida in the past ended up losing their posts. Yogi made the remarks while speaking at a program at Lok Bhawan in Lucknow, a day after the inauguration of Jewar Airport in Noida.
In Lucknow, he distributed appointment letters to 665 newly selected nursing officers at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences.
“I was told not to go to Noida.”
The yogi said that he believes in following his faith and not superstition. “People think I’m superstitious, but that’s not true at all. I believe in faith and respect everyone’s beliefs, but I completely reject superstitions.”
“I was told not to go to Noida. I asked why. I was told that chief ministers don’t go there. So I asked, is Noida outside Uttar Pradesh? They said no, but there is a belief that if the chief minister goes there, he will lose his post.”
Yogi added in Hindi: “Toh hamne kaha ke ek din toh kursi ko jana hai hai, toh kursi ke moh mein ham kyun badin? Wahan Zarur Gunga main. Ur Jaya Home. (Then I said that one day the position would have to go anyway, so why bother with it? I would definitely go there. And I did go.)”
Yogi attacks Samajwadi Party
The UP CM also sought to attack the previous Samajwadi Party-led government in UP and claimed that it spoiled several projects during its tenure, adding that the project to set up the Jai Prakash Narayan International Center (JPNIC) in Lucknow was linked to $200 crores, but even after spending an “amazing” amount. $800 crores, the project is still incomplete.
“This is the development model of the Samajwadi Party. A project that was originally estimated at Rs $It ended up costing 200 crores $800 Crores. How boldly do they talk about development?” Yogi said.
Referring to Jewar Airport, he said the government has decided to build the largest airport in Asia as UP has the largest population. He added that when it is fully operational, it will directly employ one million young people.
“This airport was built in the area known as the crime capital of not only Uttar Pradesh but the country before 2017. Heinous crimes of all kinds were rampant there. All activities stop after 5 pm. A curfew-like atmosphere prevailed until 10 am.”
“Today, thanks to the speed and strong will of this dual-engine government, in just nine years, we have made Uttar Pradesh the best investment destination for the country and the world,” he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
