SP leaders' remarks on Pahalgam shameful, akin to Pak narrative: CM

Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday slammed Samajwadi Party leaders for making "shameful" remarks on the Pahalgam terror attack . Comparing their remarks to the rhetoric Pakistan was peddling, the CM said statements like ‘Hindu killing Hindu' were not just dismissive of Shubham Dwivedi's killing but also highly divisive. Shubham was a native of Kanpur.

Speaking at a public meeting in Deoria, Yogi accused the SP and Congress of engaging in caste-based and appeasement politics and warned that such tactics jeopardise national security.

Inaugurating 341 development projects worth Rs 676 crore and laying the foundation stone for 160 others, the CM said UP was in a bleak condition until 2017, when the BJP came to office. That phase was marked by lawlessness, disease, and neglect, where festivals could not be celebrated, youth migrated for work, and farmers faced extreme distress. Marginalised communities like Musahar and Vantangiya endured starvation, while those in govt remained indifferent and isolated, he said.

The CM also distributed cheques and certificates under govt schemes like Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Yojana, aid to self-help groups, keys to homes under the CM Rural Housing Scheme, tractors, and land lease papers to 37 beneficiaries under the Patta Yojana. He also handed out cheques for Divyang and destitute pensions.

Highlighting the progress made under his govt, Yogi said that before 2017, thousands of children in Deoria died of encephalitis every year, but now those deaths were nearly zero. Among the projects he inaugurated was a four-storey govt degree college in Deoria, which will offer courses in arts, science, and commerce. A new degree college will also open in Pathardeva with commerce courses, while a new auditorium will be constructed in Gauri Bazaar to support academic activities.

He also announced that a four-lane highway was being constructed from Deoria to Gorakhpur, ensuring seamless connectivity to Delhi and other major cities. In addition, the Gorakhpur–Ballia route was also being upgraded to four lanes, while roads connecting Deoria to Kasia and Padrauna were being widened.

Comparing his govt with previous ones, the CM said other parties like the SP only worked to benefit their members while ignoring the rest of the state. "In contrast, the current govt has launched numerous initiatives for the welfare of the poor, farmers, and youth. A target has been set to connect 15 lakh underprivileged families with govt welfare schemes. Poverty is not just a challenge for the individual; it is a responsibility of govt, and we are committed to eradicating it," the CM said.