Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 1 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said caste-based divisions weaken society and urged people not to be misled, adding that those who once opposed the Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Mathura-Vrindavan and the Ram Janmabhoomi movement are now raising concerns over the faith of Hindus, warning strict action against interference in religious matters.
After inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of development projects worth over Rs 613 crore and distributing certificates to beneficiaries of public welfare schemes, CM Yogi attacked the Samajwadi Party and Congress, alleging they ignored social reformers and religious figures. He also criticised the Samajwadi Party over law and order, claiming its rule saw riots and weak policing.
"The people who are dividing you on caste lines are weakening you. Do not believe those who are trying to mislead you. Those who protested against Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Mathura-Vrindavan, the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, and even denied the existence of Lord Ram are now speaking about faith being played with. This is not playing with faith. Strict action will be taken against the culprits. We will not allow anyone to play with the faith of Hindus."
Targeting the Samajwadi Party, CM Yogi alleged that the party had historically ignored the legacy of social reformers and religious figures.
"The Samajwadi Party has inherently been opposed to great personalities associated with social justice. They did nothing for Maharishi Valmiki Ji or Sant Ravidas Ji despite being in power multiple times," he said.
He further alleged that earlier governments focused on a limited set of political families. "During Congress regime, institutions were named after the Gandhi-Nehru family, and during the Samajwadi Party government, they were limited to the Saifai family," he said.
Highlighting development work under the current government, the Chief Minister said that encroachments linked to the Samajwadi Party were removed from sites associated with Sant Ravidas Ji and that a grand corridor was developed.
"His grand statue has been built, a community kitchen (Ann Kshetra) has been established, and four-lane connectivity has been provided. The Samajwadi Party could not do this," he said.
Referring to law and order, he added that rioting had been a major issue in the past. "Before 2017, riots took place in Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Aligarh and Mathura. There were riots and curfews. There used to be an exodus from Kairana and Kandhla. Today riots no longer happen," he said, adding that rioters had been punished under the current government.
Turning to development, he said Saharanpur was now witnessing rapid infrastructure growth.
"Saharanpur is now moving towards air connectivity. The city will soon have its own airport. Earlier, people had to travel to Delhi or Dehradun for flights," he said.
He also mentioned that a medical college was operational and a second phase was underway, along with new sewage treatment projects.
He highlighted the region's economic strength under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative, saying wood carving exports from Saharanpur had crossed Rs 600 crore.
"This export power is our real strength. A country becomes stronger when exports increase," he said.
Furthermore, a major part of the Chief Minister's address focused on education reforms and the "School Chalo Abhiyan," which he said was launched in 2017 to improve enrolment and school infrastructure.
"We do not want to raise a generation that leads society in the wrong direction or harms the nation. We want to build responsible citizens who fulfil their duties towards the country and society," he said, appealing for public participation in ensuring that every child attends school.
He said that in 2017, only 36 per cent of Basic Education Council schools had adequate facilities, but under the "Operation Kayakalp" initiative, over 96 per cent of schools have now been upgraded with toilets, drinking water, electricity, libraries, mid-day meal systems, smart classes and digital infrastructure.
He added that enrolment had increased significantly. "Over 60 lakh additional children have joined government schools in the last nine years, and the dropout rate has come down from nearly 20 per cent to 3-4 per cent," he said.
Calling education a foundation of national development, he stated, "Good education will create good citizens, teachers, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs and leaders. If a child is deprived of education, it is a loss for the family and the nation."
He urged all sections of society--public representatives, teachers, officials and citizens--to make the "School Chalo Abhiyan" a mass movement and ensure no child is left out of schooling.
The Chief Minister also highlighted welfare measures in education, including distribution of uniforms, books, shoes and scholarships, assistive devices for over 1.5 lakh children with disabilities, and financial support for girls and severely disabled children.
He further said that teachers and education workers had received increased honorariums and would soon be covered under a Rs 5 lakh annual cashless health insurance scheme.
He also called for a "new teaching approach based on love, values and creativity" and urged teachers to make learning more engaging through poems, songs and practical methods under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 framework.