[ad_1]
With less than a week to go for Uttar Pradesh elections 2022 to kick off, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday filed his nomination from home turf Gorakhpur. In his first exclusive interview after filing nomination, Yogi Adityanath told Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi that the BJP would retain power with 300-plus seats, irrespective of factors like Jayant Chaudhary’s alliance with Akhilesh Yadav, OBC leaders leaving the party and protests over farm laws.
In the interview at Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur, Yogi Adityanath also condemned the attack on AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi’s vehicle in the poll-bound state, but cautioned leaders against hurting sentiments in elections speeches. The CM also hit out at the Opposition for placing “vote bank politics above national security”, particularly taking on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Kashmir statement in Parliament. He said his relationship with Muslims “is the same as their relationship with me”.
Adityanath also thanked the party leadership for picking Gorakhpur as the constituency for his first Assembly election.
Edited excerpts:
You have finally returned to Gorakhpur. Why so? It was speculated that you will fight from Mathura or Ayodhya. What is special about Gorakhpur?
Gorakhpur, or the entire state for that matter, is not unfamiliar for me. The party had sought my opinion and I, too, had left the decision to the party. It is the party that decided my seat. I am grateful to honourable Modi ji, Amit Shah ji and the Parliamentary Board of the party for giving me the opportunity to contest the election from Gorakhpur.
In 2017, the BJP had created history and swept the state clean. Will you cross 300 seats this time too?
Public trust for any leader in a democracy is a very big achievement. There is no doubt that the people of Uttar Pradesh and rest of the country showed their faith and trust in PM Narendra Modi in 2014, 2017 and 2019. After Independence, no mass leader could manage to win such trust among the people.
Modi ji has not only won international laurels for the country, but has worked for the welfare of the poor within the country. He has won the trust of the common people and this trust is translating into huge support for the BJP today. I feel that the BJP, inspired by PM Modi, has won the trust of Uttar Pradesh in the last five years. I am sure that the double engine sarkar will pass the public test and will again form the government in the state by securing a huge mandate of more than 300 seats.
Surveys and opinion polls for Uttar Pradesh elections 2022 have so far predicted 230-260 seats for the BJP. The SP is shown to be gaining, some surveys giving it even 150 seats. Do you think this could happen?
In 2014 Lok Sabha elections too, the party of the brother and sister (the Congress) was highlighted a lot. But look what happened, they got just two seats in UP. The party in power in the state back then (the SP) had also made tall claims, but was reduced to five seats.
In 2017, a pair of boys (Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav) fought the Uttar Pradesh elections together, and opinion and exit polls played them up too. But the people rejected them. The people of UP showed their trust in PM Modi’s leadership and supported the BJP.
In 2019, a Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) cropped up but look at the outcome. The BJP won 64 of 80 Lok Sabha seats to take the top spot in the state. Second came the BSP with just 10 seats and the SP had to contend with merely five seats, that too all in the family. The Congress could manage just one seat. You will see the same in this election too.
You can see the trend of opinion and exit polls for these three elections and compare it to the actual voting trend. Modi ji’s popularity has gone up and his international stature has increased. India’s prestige on the global forum is also on the rise.
Uttar Pradesh has also seen vast transformation in the last five years. The scope of investment is building up, employment has been generated in a transparent manner, we have worked for the welfare of farmers in terms of better irrigation, increased MSP, loan waivers and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, women feel safer now and we have worked to make them economically independent. UP has benefitted from the double engine sarkar. All these factors will add up to 300-plus seats for us.
The Samajwadi Party has been declining in successive surveys conducted over the last six months, while the BJP is rising. When campaigning began for first two phases of elections, it became clear that the BJP will win 300-plus seats. I have already said that this election will ultimately be about 80% vs 20%. BJP will be in the 80%, while other parties will be in 20%.
The 80:20 statement has been interpreted to mean 80% Hindus and 20% Muslims…
I believe the 80% includes people who have a positive attitude, who have appreciated and accepted the atmosphere of better development and safety in the state and want it to continue. These are the people who have seen and benefitted from the development, particularly infrastructure development, brought about by the double engine sarkar in the last five years. They appreciate our policies for the poor, for electricity to all, for better road, rail and air connectivity. These people with positive energy towards the future comprise 80%, who will support the BJP.
Those who think this safety and security is a full stop to their immoral and illegal activities and want to remove it, will never accept and support the BJP. Earlier, money meant for development used to land up with the perfume businessman. It’s natural they feel troubled now. When have they been well-wishers of the state, its poor and its farmers? When have they been sympathetic towards women’s safety?
So who are these negative people in the 20%? Does it include any particular religion?
These are the people who weren’t in favour of security, development and pro-poor policies, who didn’t want the daughters of UP to be protected, who preferred riots, lawlessness and goonda raj. These are the 20%.
You have said that in Kairana and Muzaffarnagar, you will set some people straight (“garmi utaar denge”)…
What is wrong with that? Do the traders of Kairana not have the right to protection? Do the daughters and sisters in western Uttar Pradesh not deserve safety? They certainly do. It is the duty of every government to provide safety and security to the people without discrimination. I consider it an achievement of the BJP government that we have been able to give them that.
Those responsible for crimes and riots who used to think of themselves as rulers of the underworld were in hiding for 4.5 years. But as soon as the Election Commission notified the elections and a particular party made them its candidates, they started threatening voters, traders, the poor and farmers. Women’s safety was threatened. As a responsible citizen, it was my duty to respond to their threats that the garmi would fizzle away after March 10.
You are going to Muzaffarnagar on Saturday. The riots had started there, and you are saying circumstances haven’t changed yet.
The situation has changed there, but SP and BSP are hatching a conspiracy to revert it to the old state. SP, BSP and Congress are today trying to bring back the days of riots, crime. They are not content with progress, and want lawlessness and riots.
They do so to protect their vote bank. For the vote bank, they can even compromise national security. Did you not see the former Congress president’s irresponsible statement about Jammu and Kashmir in Parliament? No country, except Pakistan, has opposed India’s policies on Kashmir. Does Rahul Gandhi consider himself to be a responsible leader of the Congress? On Kashmir, he speaks the language of Pakistan. I am of the opinion that no democratically elected government would tolerate such an irresponsible statement. Not BJP at least.
Your election target seems to be Rahul Gandhi, but the contest is becoming bipolar between BJP and SP.
It is important to cite Rahul Gandhi’s statement here. I didn’t name just Rahul ji. I also named the kind of candidates in SP, BSP and Congress list and the threats these names have been issuing in different parts of UP… They were quiet for 4.5 years but starting rearing their heads again when tickets were declared. It was important to give a befitting answer to them.
Improved law and order in UP is a big part of your election campaign. It has been raised by PM Modi and Amit Shah too. What is your reaction to the firing on AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi’s vehicle in the state?
In a democracy, we believe in ballots not bullets. Any incident of this kind is unacceptable. We may have our ideological differences, but we cannot allow anyone to disrupt law and order like this.
Secondly, I appeal to leaders of all political parties, that when making election speeches, they should be careful not to hurt sentiments of the people for vote bank politics. Otherwise, there will be reactions. Every leader has to be careful of this.
Do you think the attack was a direct result of certain statements by Owaisi?
No, that is not what I mean. Owaisi should be given protection and the state has provided security cover to him. He was provided Y+ security cover. Leaders whose schedule is known beforehand are provided adequate security, but the district administration was not informed about Owaisi ji’s schedule.
How big a factor is Owaisi in this election vis-à-vis Muslim votes?
Every leader is big for their party. We cannot gauge them as big or small.
You talk of 80% and 20%. But SP and Swami Prasad Maurya talk about 85% versus 15%. They are projecting the election as a Backward vs Forward fight.
When we talk about nationalism, they talk about caste. The truth is that they may call themselves Samajwadi, but their thinking remains parivarwadi and their actions haven’t evolved beyond dangawadi. They can’t think beyond their family. How can you talk to them about the welfare of OBCs and SCs when they think only about their own family?
You have seconded PM Modi’s call for ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sakba Prayaas’. But you have not declared a Muslim candidate yet. So what relationship does Yogi Adityanath have with Muslims?
My relationship with them is the same as the one they have with me. My cabinet in Uttar Pradesh has a Muslim minister, Shri Mohsin Raza. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi ji is a minister in the Union cabinet. Arif Mohammad Khan ji is Governor in Kerala. We are not against any person or religion. We are naturally against those who are against India or Indian-ness. We love those who love India.
BJP is the only party that has honestly delivered on ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ after Independence. People who talked of Garibi Hatao, what is their idea of social justice? Is usurping the pensions of the poor social justice? How many houses did the poor receive during SP rule? Just 18,000 units were sanctioned, not delivered. Under our government, 43,50,000 houses have been built for the poor. Beneficiaries also include SCs, STs, OBCs and other minorities.
There has been no discrimination in government’s welfare schemes. Everyone should be protected, everyone should get scheme benefits, everyone should get dignity and respect. But there should be no appeasement. We work as per the Constitution of India, without discrimination. Secularism does not mean opposing Hinduism. Secularism does not mean appeasement.
We are sitting in the Gorakhnath Temple. Muslims are associated with the Nath sect. How do you feel when you are called anti-Muslim?
I have been called anti many things. Our peeth belongs to Shaiv traditions. We accept poison and offer nectar (amrit). This is our achievement too. People accuse and slander us, but we will follow the path of public welfare and security without fear or favour.
BJP vote share in 2017’s massive win was 40%, while SP and BSP were at 20-22%. The fight is more bipolar this time with Mayawati missing in election action. Yadavs and Muslims are already seen with SP. Do you think Rajbhar and Jats joining them would be a challenge to the BJP?
The alliance formed in 2019 was much bigger than the one in 2022. That time, too, the BJP was projected to win only 15-20 seats, SP 20-30 seats and BSP around 25. But what happened? The BJP had won 64 seats, the BSP got 10 and SP could manage only five. This election has moved beyond alliances. BJP will retain power with a huge majority this time too.
Do you think Jats and Muslims will align this time?
I don’t see this on the ground. No one in western Uttar Pradesh can forget Kairana and Muzaffarnagar. The kind of threats being issued by BSP and SP candidates after ticket distribution cannot be ignored by the people of western UP. I don’t think Jat youth affected by the riots and implicated in false cases will forget the humiliation.
So you don’t see Jat support dwindling for the BJP?
How can the Jats break away from us? They are a part of the 80% I spoke about.
Akhilesh Yadav is trying too Brahmin voters. He has promised to celebrate Parashuram Jayanthi if voted to power.
You cannot mislead an enlightened society. Do you think an enlightened society will ever accept firing on devotees of Lord Ram? Will they accept that western UP remains riot-torn? They will never accept that. People know this is the same SP that espouses rioting mentality. What changes have they undergone that the Brahmin community should start believing in them? I have said that everyone who is with the BJP supports good administration and is a supporter of nationalism.
What is your reaction to three ministers and 10 MLAs leaving the BJP?
Many people from their side have crossed over to the BJP too. Mulayam Singh Yadav’s samdhi has joined us from Sirsaganj in Firozabad. Those who were opposed to that party’s activities and saw the lack of leadership, removed themselves from the party. They have not come to us with the assurance that they will get a ticket. Only merit will decide ticket. If they don’t get a ticket, they are ready to work as a party karyakarta.
What message do you have for Backward communities and leaders?
Isn’t Bhupendra Yadav a minister at the Centre? Isn’t Keshav Maurya a deputy CM in Uttar Pradesh? Isn’t Dinesh Sharma a deputy CM in Uttar Pradesh? Isn’t Jayaprakash Nishad a minister in UP cabinet? Isn’t Anil Rajbhar a minister in the UP cabinet?
We are working based on merit while keeping social justice in mind. Those who think that only their family should benefit under the garb of social justice may feel bad about this. The state president of our party is from the Backward community. He is working for the welfare of the people keeping in mind the social sentiments.
Amit Shah has said Jayant Chaudhary is a good leader, but with the wrong party. Jayant Chaudhary countered, refusing to switch alliances. What is your take on it?
Amit Shah is the country’s honourable Home Minister. He spoke for the good of Jayant Chaudhary, that he might be a good leader but is stuck in the wrong alliance. Jayant ji boarded a sinking ship. But he took it the wrong way. Everyone knows Jayant Chaudhary rarely ventures out of Delhi. When Muzaffarnagar riots happened and Jat youth were being killed or falsely implicated in cases, everyone knows his sympathies were not with the Jat youth. He didn’t visit to console any family. Chaudhary Charan Singh was a widely respected leader…
Dharmendra Pradhan has said even Chaudhary Charan Singh was a turncoat…
Chaudhary Charan Singh was widely respected as an iconic farmer leader. We respect him too. We brought sugar mills to Chaudhary ji’s karmabhoomi Chhaprauli, fulfilling a long pending demand. Others don’t match up to him.
Do you think the BJP may face challenges in Uttar Pradesh because of the farm bills?
Farmers’ protest had no resonance in UP. The farmers in Uttar Pradesh supported the passage of the farm laws in Parliament. It’s a different issue why some sat on protest later. But ask any farmer in UP and they support schemes of the central and state governments, from loan waivers to PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.
Do you see a Priyanka Gandhi factor in these elections?
The Congress has every right to contest elections but the question is whether it is getting the support? March 10 will tell us.
The Congress has not fielded any candidate against Akhilesh Yadav and Shivpal Yadav. Do you see it as an understanding?
This understanding was there in 2019 as well. They do match-fixing among themselves to stop the BJP’s march. And this has been exposed now.
You greeted Mayawati on her birthday on January 15. Are backchannel talks taking place?
I send greetings to all leaders. I wished even Akhilesh Yadav on his birthday. Why would I not wish Mayawati ji? She has served as the CM. But what understanding could we have? BJP, SP and BSP are all fighting separately. Elections don’t mean I can’t wish her on her birthday. I even visited Mulayam Singh ji when he was unwell. In a healthy democracy, communication should be open on issues of public importance.
Amit Shah says SP has baahubali (strongmen), but you have Bajrangbali.
No, it’s not like that. A criminal is a criminal. And as we said in 2017, we have shown zero tolerance towards crime and criminals, whoever they may be. BJP walks the talk. You can look at candidates’ lists and what kind of people SP and BSP have given tickets to. BJP list shows social justice and equity, other parties’ lists show dangai. And the people are aware of this.
In 2017, PM Modi was the face of the BJP and the party won a massive mandate. Is it right to say this election will be a referendum on you?
Elections are fought by parties and we are a part of the elections as karyakartas of the party. We have not worked for the people to seek votes in return. We served the people because it was our duty and responsibility. And we are in the election arena so that the safety, security and development people received continues at a more rapid pace.
For us, every day is a test. For us, power is not a source of merriment. It’s a test we face every day, whether it is fighting the Covid-19 pandemic or eradicating encephalitis. Some of the works we undertook weren’t touched in 70 years. In the last 70 years, 12 medical colleges were established in UP. We are establishing 33 new medical colleges in the state, of which 17 are already operational. UP got only 1.5 expressways in 70 years. We are working on nine expressways today.
In 70 years, only Lucknow and Varanasi had air connectivity. Nine cities in UP now have air connectivity. Eleven airports are being constructed and UP can now boast of having five international airports.
How is your chemistry with PM Modi?
Modi ji is a national leader. I keep receiving his guidance, and there is no question of differences with a mentor. Successes in what we have done so far and what we are doing has been possible only because of Modi ji’s guidance.
The Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patr was drafted by honourable Amit Shah under the guidance of PM Modi. The ‘One District, One Product’ initiative, which finds a mention even in Budget and has become synonymous with UP, was crafted by Modi ji and Amit Shah ji.
I am talking to you at Gorakhnath Peeth. In 1994, on the day of Basant Panchami, you had received your initiation at age 21. Tell us something about this journey.
I was initiated on the day of Basant Panchami in 1994. But I came here a year before that. I came into contact with Mahant Avaidyanath in 1989. I was a regular visitor till 1992. In 1993, I came here and then in 1994, I was initiated into the sect. I always consider him my God.
Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here.
.
[ad_2]
Source link
