NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday took an apparent swipe at Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav, saying ‘Babua’ would wake up at noon and be at the gym by 5 pm during his tenure as CM. He alleged that he had little time for the public and no vision for the state’s development.His remarks came while addressing a public gathering in Bulandshahr, where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 57 development projects worth more than Rs 574 crore.“Back then, ‘Babua’ would wake up at noon and would get ready by 2 pm. By 5 pm, it was time for the gym, and after that he would settle into his own social gatherings,” Yogi said. Speaking at the event, UP CM contrasted the BJP government’s governance with that of the previous Samajwadi Party government and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for the state’s development.“The entire nation is benefiting from the guidance and leadership of Narendra Modi ji. Under his guidance and leadership, we are moving forward on this journey that embraces both heritage and development. However, the situation was quite different before 2017,” he said.The chief minister alleged that the Akhilesh did not have time to meet people or address their concerns.“Where was the time for the public? Where was the time to meet the people? He had no vision for the youth, the poor, women, the farmers who feed the nation, or the traders and entrepreneurs. He did nothing in the past, and Lord Ram has ensured that he is no longer in a position to do anything in the future either,” he said.Yogi also claimed that welfare schemes currently being implemented by the BJP government, including free ration, housing assistance, health insurance and LPG connections, could have been introduced before 2017 but were not.“But they did not provide it. The benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana or the Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojana, which the poor are receiving now, could have been provided earlier, yet they were not. The health insurance coverage worth lakhs of rupees which young people and poor families should have received under Ayushman Bharat or the Mukhya Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana could have been provided prior to 2017, but the Samajwadi Party or the Congress never did so,” he said.He further said that those in power before 2017 lacked ‘vision, time and the capability to work’, adding that they also lacked sensitivity towards the poor.Referring to the state’s sugar industry, Yogi claimed that 29 sugar mills were shut between 2007 and 2017, with 21 sold at throwaway prices.“Today, sugar mills are not being sold off; instead, the ‘double-engine’ BJP government is working to restart the closed mills,” he said.The chief minister also accused the opposition of betraying farmers and compromising law and order.“We are working, working continuously, driven by our commitment. However, the worshippers of Jinnah have deceived even the sugarcane farmers. They exploited farmers and the youth, compromised the safety of mothers and sisters, and forced traders and entrepreneurs to live in an atmosphere of fear and terror. The disastrous consequences were evident: Our state was reduced to the status of a ‘BIMARU’ state. However, today it has emerged from that category,” he said.The remarks come as political parties have begun sharpening their attacks ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, which are scheduled to be held in 2027.(with inputs from PTI)
