From Jats to defence sector: How Modi blew poll bugle ahead of UP elections next year

Prime Minister Narendra Modi sounded BJP’s poll bugle for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections on Tuesday when he laid the foundation stone of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh State University in Aligarh and as well as the Aligarh node of the defence corridor. Speaking at the event of laying the foundation stone of Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh State University in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh, he lauded the Yogi Adityanath-led government and said that the BJP government is sincerely engaged in the development of the state while the previous governments in the state were run by goons and mafias. “The Central government and the Yogi government are working together for the development of Uttar Pradesh. We have to fight forces that are against development in the state. Uttar Pradesh is becoming a great example of a double engine government’s double profit,” he said. Appreciating the role of Uttar Pradesh in the development of the nation, Modi said that once the state was seen as a stumbling block in the development of the country but the same state is leading big campaigns in the country. “Uttar Pradesh is becoming an attractive place for every small and big investor of the country and the world. This happens when the right environment is created for the development,” he said. “There was a time when the administration was run by goons, governance was in the hands of the corrupt, but now such people are behind the bars,” he added taking a jibe at Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati without naming them. He also said that earlier roadblocks were created in the implementation of welfare schemes meant for the poor, but now there are no such hurdles and the benefits of these schemes are reaching the needy. The prime minister also said that farmers are benefitting due to the constant effort of the central government. “It is the constant effort of the central government to give strength to the small landholders. It has taken many decisions such as the extension of Kisan Credit Card, improvement in the insurance scheme, provision of pension of Rs 3,000 among others that are empowering small farmers.” Modi went on to heap praises on the UP government for its vaccination effort. The prime minister pointed out that the state’s vaccination drive has been the best in the country so far.

#WATCH | Under Yogi Ji's leadership, Uttar Pradesh has admistered more than 8 cr vaccine doses so far. The State has a record of administering highest doses of vaccines in a day: PM Modi in Aligargh pic.twitter.com/ZD13MeW1vO

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) September 14, 2021

“Under Yogi Ji’s leadership, Uttar Pradesh has administered more than 8 crore vaccine doses so far. The state has a record of administering the highest doses of vaccines in a day,” the PM said. Talking about the defence corridor, he said that India is moving ahead with an aim to carve its identity as a global defence exporter, unlike earlier when the country only used to import defence goods. He also made an analogy between the famous locks of Aligarh and the defence corridor, saying that the city is now contributing towards protection of country’s borders as well. Modi then announced Rs 9000 crore for the development of BrahMos missile at the defence corridor’s Lucknow node. The Raja Mahendra Pratap Singh State University is being established by the Uttar Pradesh government. Set up in a total area of over 92 acres at Lodha village and Musepur Kareem Jarouli village of Aligarh’s Kol tehsil, the university will provide affiliation to 395 colleges of the Aligarh division. The Yogi Adityanath government’s decision to set up the university after the noted Jat figure is being politically seen as part of the ruling BJP’s bid to win over the community ahead of the crucial state Assembly polls early next year. A section of Jats, who live in sizeable numbers in western Uttar Pradesh, is seen to be aggrieved with the BJP over the issues of farmers. Modi’s visit to Aligarh is being seen as the launch by the ruling BJP of its campaign for the upcoming elections in the country’s most populous state, likely to take place early next year. UP governor Anandiben Patel, chief minister Yogi Adityanath, deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma were among the dignitaries who attended the ceremony. With inputs from agencies