Biz, devpt now order of day in Saharanpur, not riots and fatwas, says CM

Lucknow: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 325 projects worth Rs2,131 crore in Saharanpur, saying that a district once known for riots, fatwas and migration, had now become a symbol of development, connectivity and industrial progress.Accusing those who allegedly promoted a culture of fatwas and protected criminals and mafia elements of remaining silent when Sanatan culture was attacked, the CM said that earlier, fatwas were issued from Deoband on every matter, including how one should eat food. Now, he said, BJP MLA from Deoband, Kunwar Brijesh Singh has been pushing for personal freedom and national security.“Acting on his proposal, the govt has established an ATS (anti-terrorist squad) centre here. ATS commandos are maintaining constant vigilance. Any anti-national element daring to raise its head will certainly be finished. Anyone trying to compromise security or play with the future of the youth will have to face the consequences,” he said.Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for elevating the status of ‘Vande Mataram’, the CM said that anyone insulting India’s national symbols will now face punishment, adding that people who live in India, and eat India’s food, cannot be allowed to praise the enemy.Hitting out at opposition parties, the CM said that UP’s politics was no longer about appeasement, but about satisfaction and inclusive welfare. Where public funds were earlier spent on graveyard boundary walls, encroachments and caste-communal appeasement, the same money was now being used for roads, universities, sports colleges, RCC drains, expressways and the development of religious and tourism destinations, he said.Listing out various development projects for the region, the CM mentioned the redevelopment of Maa Shakambhari Dham, the Delhi-Dehradun expressway, Ganga expressway, proposed airport, sports college, smart city projects and industrial-logistics hubs.He said: “The policies of the double-engine govt have transformed both the image and destiny of Western UP. Forces that obstruct development, try to divide society through caste-based and appeasement politics. Now, however, people stand firmly with development, security and nationalism. When good govts are elected, the results are also positive, and Saharanpur has emerged as a living example of this transformation.”Yogi said that between 2013 and 2016, Saharanpur came to be known for riots, curfews, migration and chaos. The district lacked major education centres, sports facilities or industry. Deoband had gained notoriety due to fatwas and regressive practices. In 2016, all of West UP was burning, but nobody gave it attention, he said.“After the formation of the double-engine govt in 2017, Saharanpur acquired a new identity. The district’s world-renowned woodcraft industry received a new platform, and today Saharanpur has carved out a distinctive identity for itself. It is rapidly emerging as a major hub of development and connectivity,” he said.The CM said that a major industrial and logistics hub was being developed in Saharanpur between Delhi and Dehradun, which would generate employment for thousands of youths. The Noida International Airport at Jewar, the country’s first Rapid Rail in Meerut, and the nearly 600-km-long Ganga expressway from Meerut to Prayagraj had transformed West UP. Also, an elevated highway is being constructed to ensure smooth travel for devotees visiting Maa Shakambhari dham in all weather conditions, he added.