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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Minister Patil chairs industry meetings to chart growth for key sectors in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister M B Patil on Tuesday chaired meetings with industry representatives from the aerospace and defence, machine tools, auto/EV, and green energy sectors to discuss sector growth and government support measures.
The meetings were attended by leading industrialists and their representatives, with some participating virtually.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister for Large and Medium Industries said Karnataka is at the forefront of the country’s aerospace and defence sectors.
He noted that Suzuki and Toyota plan to launch aerial taxi services in Japan by 2028, with Bengaluru-based Sasmos supplying electrical equipment for the project.
Industrialists suggested introducing similar “fly-taxi” services in Karnataka through an appropriate policy, which Patil said would be examined seriously.
The minister highlighted the need to establish testing centres and Common Facility Centres for the aerospace and defence industries and assured that these facilities would be provided.
Suggestions were also made to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for sector growth.
Karnataka has urged the Central Government to approve Defence Corridor projects in the Bengaluru North–Kolar–Chikkaballapur and Dharawada–Vijayapura–Belagavi regions.
Industrialists also suggested a corridor between Bengaluru and Mysuru, Patil said.
He said Karnataka aims to become a hub for defence electronics manufacturing, with plans to establish a 200-acre Defence Electronics Park and a 100-acre Avionics and Sensor Park.
These projects will be implemented once the Special Investment Region is operational, and land availability will not be an issue.
On the machine tools sector, Patil said the industry has recorded an annual turnover of Rs 36,500 crore and is witnessing steady growth.
Large-scale exhibitions have increased demand, and the state must strengthen its capabilities to develop control systems for heavy machinery. One testing unit is already operational in Bengaluru, with another planned for Tumakuru. Expansion of vocational training institutes in industrial areas is also underway.
In the Auto and EV sector, Vision Group members highlighted the need for a network of dry ports and more EV charging stations across the state.
Patil noted that the Tata Group is manufacturing EV buses in Dharawada for nationwide supply. Plans for mini excavator production and export facilitation were also discussed, along with the establishment of a testing facility for two-wheeler EVs.
For the Green Energy sector, the group emphasised the need for a suitable policy on battery-based energy storage and the establishment of data centres.
Patil assured that the government will seriously consider all suggestions and respond positively.
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