- Tuesday, April 30, 2024
By: Shubham Ghosh
A DAY after the Supreme Court questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh over its decision to allow the popular ‘Kanwar Yatra’ festival amid Covid-19 concerns, prime minister Narendra Modi praised the state authorities over their handling of the pandemic situation. He even said Yogi Adityanath government’s control of the second wave was “unprecedented”.
“The way in which UP has controlled the second wave of corona and stopped its spread is unprecedented,” Modi, who arrived in Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency in eastern Uttar Pradesh on Thursday morning, said. UP has seen 1.7 million people hit by the virus while more than 22,000 people have died.
On Wednesday (14), the apex court took suo moto cognizance of Lucknow’s decision to allow ‘Kanwar Yatra’ amid the ongoing pandemic. It also issued notices to both the central and the Uttar Pradesh government, and scheduled the hearing of the matter for July 16. Uttar Pradesh’s northern neighbour Uttarakhand also came under the scanner over the same but its authorities scrapped the yatra later.
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Modi also appreciated the state government over its development-oriented approach and disregard for nepotism and corruption.
He said while minor problems assumed monstrous propositions in the state owing to shortage of health facilities and the lack of willpower, Uttar Pradesh today has seen a turnaround under the Adityanath government. The state, considered India’s most important political one, will go to assembly elections early next year.
UP today has rule of law, says prime minister Modi
“There is rule of law in UP today. Mafiaraj and terrorism, which were once out of control, are now controlled by law. Criminals who dare to eye sisters and daughters know they will not be spared…,” the prime minister said. “Another important thing… the government today is not run through corruption and nepotism (bhrashtarchar aur bhai bhatijawaad) but through development (vikasvaad). Therefore, in UP, the benefits of schemes are reaching the people and new investments and opportunities of employment are increasing,” he added.
During his visit to Varanasi, a popular Hindu pilgrimage in India, Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of multiple development projects worth over Rs 1,500 crore at the IIT (Indian Institute of Technology)-BHU (Benaras Hindu University) ground.
Among other things, Modi inaugurated a 100-bed mother and child health wing at BHU, a multiple-level parking, ‘Ro-Ro’ (roll on-roll off) vessels for tourism development on the Ganges and a three-lane flyover bridge on the Varanasi-Ghazipur highway. He was also set to inaugurate an International Cooperation and Convention Centre constructed with Japanese aid.
Modi was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel, a former chief minister of Gujarat; chief minister Adityanath and several other state ministers.
The prime minister was also set to meet officials and medical professionals to review the state’s Covid preparedness.
