Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath kick started his party’s campaign for the urban body elections from Saharanpur on Monday with a slogan “No Curfew-No Danga, UP mein sab change” (as curfews and riots are no longer common in Uttar Pradesh everything is fine).

Addressing a public meeting at Maharaj Singh Degree College on Janta Road, Yogi Adityanath launched a veiled attack on the previous governments, saying, “Rangdari na firauti, Ab UP nahi hai kisi ki bapauti” (neither extortions nor kidnappings for ransom take place in the state and UP is no longer a family’s legacy.)

The chief minister went on to say mafias and criminals were a thing of the past today as Uttar Pradesh had evolved into a symbol of safety, prosperity, and employment.

Listing the achievements of the BJP government in the state, the CM said, “We have taken the schemes of the government to the masses without any discrimination and with everyone’s support, faith and effort. We have brought among you a qualified doctor for the post of mayor from Saharanpur, who will cure all the diseases that exist. Moreover, our police are strong enough to deal with the mafias.”

The chief minister said that “this ‘seemant zila’ (border district) of UP is known for its rich heritage, incredible woodwork for which it is renowned throughout the world, the hardworking farmers,  visionary and well-educated youth and businessmen brothers who consistently contribute to the progress in the field of industry and trade.”

Calling Saharanpur an important district of UP, Yogi said, “Over the course of the previous six years, I have felt the urge to visit this place more than a dozen times. I return here frequently because I have personally witnessed its neglect. There was no electricity in this area, and there were curfews and riots. Saharanpur was also deprived of basic facilities. It used to take seven to eight hours from here to reach Delhi. Delhi’s distance can now be traveled in three hours, and by the end of this year, construction of the Delhi-Saharanpur-Dehradun Expressway will be completed.”

He also pointed out that the youth of Saharanpur, who earlier had to go to Meerut to get a degree, would get it in their home district once Maa Shakambhari University was established.

Launching an attack on the Opposition, the chief minister said before 2017, the state governments were busy fomenting riots. “Sikh brothers were attacked here as riots over the Gurdwara broke out. Today, there is no curfew anywhere in UP. Because of the terror that miscreants had previously wrecked, parents did not send their daughters away from home to study. In UP today, a fearless atmosphere has been established. Those who only talked about casteism exploited their own caste the most,” he said.

Yogi added that the best surveillance systems were being introduced in urban areas of the state for people’s safety. “We are associating it with Safe City, where businesspeople, daughters, and the city will all be living in a safe environment. We have kept only one target for UP– the vision of the PM is the vision of UP. ‘Modiji’s vision is the mission of UP”, he remarked.

He urged people to choose between a casteist government like the one that existed prior to 2017 and a government that prioritizes the needs of the underprivileged. “You have to decide whether you want a corrupt, or a corruption-free system as well as youth carrying guns or youths using tablets and smartphones,” he concluded.