Current UP govt not cleaning rivers but budget: Akhilesh Yadav
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday accused the Uttar Pradesh government of prioritising corporate interests while paying lip service when it comes to projects to clean rivers.
Questioning the ruling BJP's "swadeshi" slogan, he claimed it was meant to mislead people. If the BJP is "swadeshi" at heart, why doesn't its government impose tariffs on China, which has captured a large share of the Indian market, Yadav posed.
"The government is selling us the swadeshi sentiment. Learn from America how they have imposed tariffs. You (India) should impose tariffs on China."
"The BJP speaks about 'Swadeshi' but is 'Videshi' at heart," the Samajwadi Party chief added.
Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters, Yadav said the BJP-led administration remembered river cleaning only when "it was time for them to go."
The government is not actually cleaning rivers but "cleaning the budget," the former chief minister said. "They plan how to spoil every good thing and how to loot."
Accusing the BJP dispensation of turning public initiatives into avenues for private gain, Yadav added the government was looting the lands and crops of farmers, while large business houses were given a free hand to build vast real-estate and land banks.
"The truth is that this government has never been honest with farmers, nor are its decisions fair to them," Yadav added.
Responding to a question about the possibility of continuing the alliance with the Congress in the Legislative Council teacher elections, the SP chief said, "This is a very personal election. Our alliance exists and will remain."
"We will strengthen this alliance further and work continuously on that path, Yadav said.
Asked about his plans for the Bihar Assembly elections, Yadav said, "Whoever invites us in Bihar, we will go. We have said that we, the socialists, and the people here, defeated the BJP in Awadh. Now it is the responsibility of the people of Bihar to help."
Taking aim at incidents of police encounters, he referred to Akhilesh Dubey, a lawyer accused in corruption cases in Kanpur, and said, "If encounters alone could improve law and order, why aren't they carrying out an encounter against Akhilesh Dubey?"
"The day the authorities realise their secrets are about to be exposed, Dubey will also be encountered. This government wants to scare people with encounters.
It doesn't want to improve law and order through these incidents, but rather wants to scare people into thinking that they are improving law and order," Yadav said.
The SP chief accused the state government of "politically exploiting" the police, saying, "If the police are used politically, who will look after law and order? This is the result of the state's law and order situation."
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India progressing under PM Modi, Karnataka heading towards decline: Union Minister Kumaraswamy
Bengaluru (PTI): Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy has said while India is moving steadily towards becoming the world’s third-largest economic power under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Karnataka is heading in the opposite direction under the Congress government.
Speaking at a programme to mark the 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, along with the Atal Award presentation and Good Governance Day celebrations, the JD(S) leader said Karnataka was once a model state for governance and development.
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“Karnataka was once synonymous with exemplary governance. It had adopted an outstanding development model and emerged as a leader for the entire nation. But under the Congress government’s administration, all these distinctions have been lost, and the State is now moving in the opposite direction,” Kumaraswamy said.
He alleged that the current dispensation has completely damaged the education sector, noting that Karnataka was once a frontrunner in education.
“Karnataka, which once ranked first in good governance, has reached such a state today. Frivolous politics is being played in a good State. Administration across all departments; including health, education, agriculture and revenue has deteriorated. People must now seriously introspect,” he said.
Asserting that the era of good governance must return, Kumaraswamy said people are fed up with the misgovernance of this government.
Bengaluru, once the IT-BT capital and a hub of education and technology, has seen its infrastructure completely deteriorate, he said.
"The state government lacks the mindset to accept even well-intentioned and expert advice. It has developed a culture of speaking irresponsibly even about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.”
Noting that the state has all the potential and capacity to move forward, the union minister said, “At a time when India is stepping forward to become the world’s third-largest economic power under Modi government, one wonders in which direction Karnataka is heading? It is moving backwards and sliding into decline.”
Remembering Vajpayee as “Ajatashatru”, a leader without enemies who rendered long and distinguished service to the nation, Kumaraswamy said leaders like Vajpayee are rare today.
“His contributions as External Affairs Minister, Leader of the Opposition and Prime Minister were immense. He was a visionary leader who took the BJP from just two seats to 170 seats in Parliament,” he added.
Expressing concern over growing unrest, he said, “Karnataka must once again become a garden of peace for all communities. There is unrest in society. When one looks at what is happening within families, it causes anxiety. While technology is advancing and economic strength is increasing, there is fear even in turning on the television in the morning. There is no peace of mind for anyone. It is for this reason that I have advocated teaching the Bhagavad Gita at the school level. Unfortunately, politics is being unnecessarily mixed into this issue."
