Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 24 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday launched a scathing attack on opposition parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), accusing them of turning Uttar Pradesh into a "beemaru" state during their regimes, while asserting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has transformed it into a breakthrough state.
Addressing the Uttar Pradesh Statehood Day in Lucknow, Shah highlighted the scale of development achieved under the BJP-led government and said that the state has witnessed unprecedented progress over the past few years. He asserted that development has now reached every village of Uttar Pradesh, reversing decades of stagnation and neglect.
"There was a time when Uttar Pradesh was considered a labour source state. Today, it has become the driving force of India's economy. Congress, SP, and BSP had reduced it to a 'beemaru' state. The BJP government transformed it into a breakthrough state, and development has now reached every village," Shah said while addressing the gathering.
The Union Home Minister also expressed hope of transforming Uttar Pradesh into a fully developed state by August 15, 2047, when the country would celebrate 100 years of its independence.
"On 15 August 2047, when the nation will celebrate 100 years of its independence, Uttar Pradesh will become a fully developed state and will be an integral part of Viksit Bharat. Uttar Pradesh is the heartbeat and also the soul of India. Uttar Pradesh is becoming India's growth engine," he added.
During the event, Shah also felicitated astronaut and Indian Air Force Wing Commander Shubhanshu Shukla with the 'Uttar Pradesh Gaurav' honour in recognition of his contribution to innovation and space exploration. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brijesh Pathak, along with several senior leaders and officials, were present on the occasion.
Uttar Pradesh Statehood Day is observed annually on January 24 to commemorate the renaming of the United Provinces as Uttar Pradesh in 1950, two days before the adoption of the Indian Constitution. Since then, the state has played a pivotal role in shaping India's political, cultural and social landscape.
Blessed with sacred rivers such as the Ganga, Yamuna and Saryu, Uttar Pradesh is home to some of India's most important religious and historical centres. Cities such as Varanasi, Ayodhya, Mathura, Vrindavan, Prayagraj, Sarnath, and Kushinagar attract millions of pilgrims and tourists each year. Varanasi, situated on the banks of the Ganga, is considered one of the world's oldest living cities and is home to the revered Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Sarnath holds special significance as the place where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon.
Uttar Pradesh has also contributed to India's industrial growth, with Kanpur emerging as a major industrial hub. In November 2000, the hill state of Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh, further shaping the region's administrative landscape.
Leaders across the political spectrum marked the occasion by highlighting Uttar Pradesh's historical legacy and its evolving role in India's development journey.