Adityanath takes a dig at Akhilesh: Land mafia leaders troubled about demolition drive

Responding to the SP chief while inaugurating the “Mukhyamantri Arogya Mela” in Sankisa in Farrukhabad district, Adityanath said those who used to spread fear among people were now visiting police stations with placards around their necks and begging for mercy while bulldozers raze down the properties of mafiosos and their henchmen.

He added, “Earlier, the mafia used to capture the land of the poor and businessmen. Today, when bulldozers are running over the chests of these land mafiosos, the criminals have run away but their ‘rehnuma’ [leaders] are feeling troubled. They did not feel troubled when the land of the poor, of traders or a common person was taken by the land mafia and criminals. They are having problems when the properties of the poor and farmers are freed from such criminals…The leaders of these criminals have uneasiness, because their henchmen are today begging for their lives. They are scared that the bulldozer might turn towards them.”

Adityanath tore into the SP-led government that was in power till 2016, saying that during its rule government jobs were meant only for a specific community. “We consider 24 crore people of the state as our family. The people who used to spread fear among people are now going to police stations with placards in their neck begging for mercy. Bulldozers are now razing down the properties of mafiosos and their henchmen. Now, our government does not discriminate between anyone. We aim to provide four lakh jobs in the coming days,” he added.

Talking about the development of Sankisa, the chief minister said that given the immense possibilities surrounding religious tourism in Farrukhabad, the map of a route from Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida) to Sarnath via Sansika. He added that Sankisa should also be developed like Kushinagar, Sarnath, Kapilwastu and Kaushambi, as it is considered as a place of pilgrimage for Buddhism, and it was the same reason why the mela has been started again from the sacred soil of Buddha. Along with the Mela, Sankisa can also be developed as a Buddhist pilgrimage.

“A route map should be made from Gautam Buddh Nagar to Sarnath via Sansika. After the development of Sankisa, employment opportunities will also be created at the local level and youths will not have to migrate to other places in search of employment,” said Adityanath, directing officials to chalk out a plan to develop Sankisa as a site of Buddhist pilgrimage.

The chief minister reiterated his government’s commitment to providing better health services to the poor in the state, and claimed that the state administration was doing it with all its resources and without any discrimination. Adityanath said the Mela was just another platform to reach out to people and ensure that all medical facilities are available to them under one roof. The government started organising Arogya melas on February 2 last year, and held seven such fairs till March 15. More than 32 lakh people have claimed to have benefited from the fairs, which were organised every Sunday.

“Starting today, the mela will be organised every Sunday at 3,480 PHCs [primary health centres] in the state. People will be getting all kinds of medical consultancy, primary pathology testing facilities and medicines here,” said Adityanath.

Health officials, meanwhile, informed that kit-based pathology tests would also be conducted at the fairs and serious patients would be referred for further treatment. The fairs will serve as a platform to inform people about government schemes such as the Ayushman card scheme, and the Mukhyamantri Aawas Yojana.