Yogi says dons now begging for their lives

Reiterating that there is no place for criminals in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said mafia dons are now fearing and begging for their lives under his BJP-led government’s rule in the state.

Addressing a public meeting in Unnao, he said, “Before 2017, the mafia and other criminals would proudly roam on streets. People were scared to come out of their homes. Shopkeepers used to shut their shops before sunset and markets were closed early. But after 2017, the markets are open till late at night. The women can go out of their homes without any fear. Those mafia and criminals are now begging for their lives as there is no place for them in Uttar Pradesh.”

Adityanath’s remarks came hours after a case was registered against an unidentified person in Lucknow for giving a death threat to him. NDTV quoted police as saying that the threat was received via message on ‘Dial 112’ (a number launched by the UP government for the emergency services), in which the person stated, “I will kill CM Yogi soon”.

This development also came days after the killing of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf by three men in police custody in Prayagraj.

On Monday, Adityanath asserted that law and order in Uttar Pradesh has improved under his government, and the state was now being identified by its grand festivals and not by the mafia. Kicking off an election campaign for the upcoming urban body elections from Saharanpur, he spoke about the achievements of his government and charged that earlier governments were busy instigating riots.

Today, the state’s identity is festivals, not mafia and disorder, he said.

Amidst a loud applause from locals, the chief minister said Uttar Pradesh is not anyone’s property and that extortion will not be allowed. There are no riots and curfews in Uttar Pradesh now and all is good, he asserted.