Want kids to embrace modern education, not become 'mulla', 'maulvi': CM Adityanath
Lucknow, Feb 25 (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said his government wants to educate children to become "doctors, engineers and scientists", not "mullas" or "maulvis" (religious clerics).
Addressing the Legislative Council, Adityanath said, "The double-engine government is ensuring modern education for all children without any discrimination. 'Kathmullapan ki sanskriti nahi chalegi' (the culture of religious extremism will not be tolerated)."
Quoting former president late A P J Abdul Kalam, Adityaath said modernising education is key to social progress.
"The Samajwadi Party has a narrow mindset. The BJP government does not want to confine the minority children only to traditional madrasas and turn them into mullas and maulvis. We want to provide them with opportunities to become doctors, engineers, scientists and writers," Adityanath said.
The chief minister said his government is providing free education and upgrading schools with funds from both the Centre and the state.
"Our goal is to equip every child with quality education, ensuring that they become valuable contributors to the society," he said.
Reiterating the state's commitment to educational reforms, Adityanath said, "Every child is God's greatest creation. They deserve the best education without any discrimination. While religious education has its place, those aspiring to be good writers, scientists, mathematicians, teachers and engineers must embrace modern education." Adityanath also highlighted the Chief Minister's Abhyudaya Yojana, which offers free coaching to underprivileged students preparing for competitive exams.
Accusing the opposition of being ignorant of the dire realities faced by the tribal and marginalised communities, Adityanath said his government has endeavoured to bring them into the mainstream.
He said tribal communities like Tharu, Musahar and Gond were previously deprived of land ownership papers, ration cards and housing, but "the double-engine government has brought all these tribes into the mainstream, ensuring that they receive essential services and economic opportunities".
The chief minister also highlighted his government's poverty alleviation efforts, stating that six crore people in Uttar Pradesh and 25 crore people across India have moved above the poverty line in the last seven-and-a-half years.
"In the next three years, we aim to uplift 13.5 lakh more families above the poverty line," he said.
A state survey has identified the families in need, and the government will work to increase their annual income to at least Rs 1.25 lakh by providing basic amenities and economic opportunities, he said.
Adityanath also slammed the Samajwadi Party's 'PDA' (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpasankhyak - Backward, Dalit, Minority) model, calling it a "dikhawa" (gimmick).
He further said the previous governments ignored serious health crises like encephalitis, which claimed thousands of lives.
"In contrast, our government tackled it as a mission, launching mass vaccination drives, improving healthcare infrastructure, and promoting sanitation. As a result, the disease has almost been eradicated but the opposition refuses to acknowledge it," he said.
The chief minister also accused the Samajwadi Party and Congress of indulging in "tushtikaran ki rajneeti" (appeasement politics), instead of focusing on development.
"The double-engine government has strengthened infrastructure and governance, ensuring that Uttar Pradesh continues on the path of progress," Adityanath said.
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'Rear-guard action': BJP over Mamata accepting sports minister's resignation after Messi event
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Tuesday alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's accepting Aroop Biswas' resignation as the state sports minister is nothing but a "rear-guard action" to douse public anger over the mismanagement of football icon Lionel Messi's event last week.
BJP co-in-charge for West Bengal Amit Malviya alleged that this is also an "open confession" that the Messi event fiasco was not accidental but a government-manufactured disaster, borne out of the poor governance of Banerjee, her ministers and the state bureaucracy.
Banerjee on Tuesday accepted Biswas' resignation as the sports minister in the wake of the controversy over the mismanagement of football icon Messi's event last week, a senior leader of the ruling TMC said.
Biswas, who had written to the chief minister seeking to be relieved of his responsibilities as sports minister, will continue as a cabinet minister, retaining charge of the power department.
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Reacting to the development, Malviya said in a post on X, "TMC Sports Minister Aroop Biswas resigns after the Messi fiasco and Mamata Banerjee accepts it in record time."
"Do not mistake this for accountability; this is nothing but a rear-guard action to douse public anger. anger! This is not 'Raj Dharma'," he added.
The BJP leader alleged that the incident was the outcome of "loot" of common people which is "so synonymous" with the TMC.
The incident was also the outcome of the "shameless VIP culture that TMC thrives on and deep-rooted cronyism promoted by Banerjee," he charged.
Malviya further alleged that Biswas' resignation exposes a "collective failure of Mamata Banerjee, her partisan bureaucracy, and her crony cabinet".
"This is a symbolic sacrifice, a political hoax, soon to be buried under layers of bureaucracy, with no justice, no accountability, and no remorse," the BJP leader said, adding, "No resignation will bring back the time lost, the money wasted, or the stolen chance for football lovers to witness Messi in Kolkata."
