No communal riots in UP since 2017: Yogi Adityanath

Vibha Sharma

New Delhi, February 3

With just seven days to go before the first phase of elections, it was an action-packed day in Uttar Pradesh, with top leaders of various parties canvassing and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath presenting a report card of his government’s performance in the past five years. He claimed businesses thrived, the state managed the Covid pandemic well and was the state remained free of riots and terror activities during his tenure.

SP writes to EC

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The SP has written to the EC, requesting the poll panel to issue instructions to Adityanath to “follow the language in accordance with the Model Code of Conduct”. The SP alleged that the Chief Minister frequently used words like “goons” and “mafia” for the party during election campaigning.

Home Minister Amit Shah, meanwhile, again lashed at his party’s chief rival — the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party — and send a warning to his ally, RLD’s Jayant Chaudhary. According to Shah, a man (Akhilesh) who “does not listen to his own father (SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav) and uncle (Shivpal Singh Yadav) will never respect his allies”.

Speaking in Bulandshahr, Shah claimed the SP would never be able to form a government in Uttar Pradesh. “He (Akhilesh) does not meet people, only addresses press conferences and has Jayant ji by his side. Jayant Chaudhary thinks if the government is formed, Akhilesh will listen to him. Jayant, it is a mistake. Someone who does not listen to his own father and uncle will not listen to you either,” Shah said.

Presenting the five-year report card of his government, Adityanath made law and order the centre-piece, saying no communal riots were reported in the state during his tenure and cited figures from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) to assert that the crime graph had come down.