Yogi Adityanath to THE WEEK: My purpose of existence is to serve people

Q/ What are your biggest achievements in the last five years?

A/ There are many achievements, but the biggest feather in the cap has been to change the perception of the state, both nationally and globally, by enforcing the rule of law and order in the state. Prior to 2017, there was a perception that mafia raj prevailed in UP. Poor law and order adversely affected development programmes. We have changed this.

Earlier, UP was known as a ‘BIMARU’ state. Now it is emerging as the number one among developed states in the country. It has become a favourite destination for both domestic and foreign investors. UP now is also the country’s second largest economy.

We have ensured infrastructure development, women’s safety and empowerment, better implementation of welfare programmes and good governance. Before 2017, traders and people of some pockets of the state had to migrate to other places. But after 2017, it is criminals who are leaving. The properties of the mafia are razed by bulldozers today. There is a safer environment for women. This is the first state to deploy women police personnel at all gram panchayats for joint patrolling. It is also the state that saw no riots or terror activity in the last five years, and the first state to use new technology to promote e-Prosecution.

Our GSDP was seventh in India in 2017. But in just five years, we helped our GSDP reach the second spot. In the Ease of Doing Business ranking, the state has climbed from the 14th to the second position. Prior to 2017, the unemployment rate in the state was as high as 17.1%, but we have brought it down to 3.1% (as per CMIE).

Likewise, the per capita income, which was around Rs46,000 per annum in 2017, has increased to Rs94,000 (more than double). The state budget, which hovered around Rs2 lakh crore in 2015-16, rose to around Rs6 lakh crore. The state provided a unique model of ‘One District, One Product’ scheme, which is now being replicated nationally. This scheme has turned UP into an export hub. We have given 4.5 lakh government jobs.

All this has happened despite the fact that in five years of our government, we faced the Covid-19 pandemic for two years. The state did an outstanding job of controlling Covid-19 and safeguarding the livelihoods. UP has the highest numbers in Covid-19 vaccination: we gave the first dose to all people above 18 years and the double dose to 75% of the people. We have created a world class health infrastructure, including testing facilities. We helped migrant workers travel back to the state safely amidst the pandemic and helped them get jobs through ‘skill mapping’ so that they can stay in the state and contribute to its economy.

The double engine government has been distributing a double dose of free ration to almost 15 crore people thus helping them to tide over the Covid-19 crisis. Our aim of saving lives and livelihoods has been successful. The WHO and the Niti Aayog have appreciated our strategy.

Q/ You have said that this is an 80% versus 20% election. Who are those 20% whose votes you do not need or will you try to win them over as well?

A/ The 80% are those people who have a positive attitude towards development and prosperity of the state, better law and order, welfare schemes for the poor, and the work done to honour faith in UP. All of them are with us.

The remaining 20% are those who are with negative outlook and no vision. People who do not like the better law and order situation, who want to hurt religious sentiments, who do not like welfare schemes for the poor, who do not like infrastructure development.

Before 2017, when people from UP travelled outside the state, they were snubbed. Now when they talk about being from UP, they have pride in belonging to the state, as it means a developed state with good infrastructure.

The opposition and the 20% are those who are scared of the BJP returning to power. They dream of fomenting riots and looting…. The BJP has worked with a zero-tolerance approach towards crime and criminals, and against corruption and corrupt persons. Our work has benefited all sections of society irrespective of caste, creed, religion, etc.

Q/ You are a powerful orator. The response of the public energises you. How has the experience of conducting a virtual campaign been?

A/ Talking to people live does have a different appeal but Covid-19 has increased our dependence on technology. However, now with the permission of the Election Commission of India, we are once again holding ‘Jan Sabhas’ where I am directly in communication with our people.

Q/ According to government figures, employment has increased. The same figures say manufacturing activity is constantly decreasing. Why is that?

A/ We have worked a great deal towards generating employment. The better law and order situation has changed the image of the state, and during our first Investors Summit we signed MoUs for investment worth Rs4.68 lakh crore. A record Rs3 lakh crore worth projects have already been executed. Even during Covid-19, the state received investment proposals worth over Rs66,000 crore. A recent survey done by UP Industrial Consultants Ltd found that 11.48 lakh units out of 95.49 lakh MSME units financed by banks in the past five years have provided employment to more than 30 lakh people. If these results are extended to the entire units, then the total employment generated by the 95.49 lakh units is for more than 2.6 crore youth.

The manufacturing sector has gathered pace with Samsung shifting its display unit from China to set up the country’s only such unit in UP. The upcoming Defence Corridor will have manufacturing units at every node. The famous BrahMos missile will also be manufactured in UP.

Q/ How do religious faith and spirituality influence your politics?

A/ My faith is personal, and I am not ashamed of my religion or my faith.

While our faith can be personal and our manner of worship specific, when we think in terms of the nation, duty becomes our religion. I am a yogi and will remain a yogi. Long before I became the CM, I had renounced my private life. My decisions, unlike those of previous CMs, are not selfishly motivated. My entire energy is dedicated to working for the welfare of the people of this state, who are my family.

Q/ There are new equations in the state’s east. There is some anger in the west, too. Do you view these as big challenges?

A/ The BJP swept the western region, winning 91 of the 113 seats, in the 2017 assembly elections. The work we have done for the development of the state has made us confident that the people of UP want the BJP again. In the first two rounds put together, we are winning more seats than we had earlier. The farmers’ protest had no resonance in UP. The farmers of the state supported the passage of the farm laws in Parliament. It is a different issue that some sat on protest later. But ask any farmer in UP, he supports the schemes of the Central and state governments, from loan waivers to PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. We see no impact of the farmers’ protest, as the farm laws have also been repealed. The BSP/SP governments’ anti-farmer approach and unscientific policies drove farmers to suicide. A lot of them moved away from agriculture. After the BJP was voted to power in UP, we waived farmloans to the tune of 036,000 crore and made a record payment of Rs1.59 lakh crore to cane farmers. Likewise, a host of pending irrigation projects were fast-tracked and completed.

UP is now considered as a model for the entire country. We have eliminated the role of middlemen. The government has been buying directly from the farmers. We have bought 2-3 times more wheat/paddy at minimum support price, as compared with the previous governments. Also, Direct Benefit Transfer has ensured transparency, with money being transferred within 48 hours to the bank accounts of farmers. A record amount of money has been transferred to the accounts of the farmers. In fact, our government has transferred more money to the farmers’ accounts in past five years than the entire budget of 2016 of the last SP government.

Q/ Your work style is that of micromanagement and you have boundless energy. Where do you get that from?

A/ I derive my energy from the love and faith which the 24 crore people of UP have given me. I dedicated my life to the service of people when I was a child and have never looked back. My purpose of existence is to serve people. This is what has always inspired me. I feel proud that I have been able to serve some of the most backward communities like Musahars and Vantangiya, among others. I have helped people get their land back from mafias and ensure safety for women in the state. I do yoga and believe in minimum governance and management by exception.

Q/ Some OBC leaders of stature joined your party before the 2017 elections. Has their exit from the party been for the better, as they were unable to fit into the BJP’s mould?

A/ They left in the manner in which they came—defecting from other parties. They were part of this government, which did not discriminate in the implementation of welfare schemes. We respect all. But everyone is free to take independent decisions and leave or stay. We don’t stop anyone. The BJP talks about nationalism. The SP talks about castes. We take up issues related to development, but they talk about their family. They may call themselves ‘Samajwadis’, but they work like ‘Parivarwadis’.

Those who pursue the politics of principle enjoy long innings. And the public teaches lessons to those who keep their vested interests above national interests. (Swami Prasad) Maurya was afraid to fight elections from his existing seat and has shifted to another seat because of the fear of losing.

Q/ Was your ticket from Gorakhpur finalised with your inputs, or did the party decide on its own? Would you have preferred to fight the election from elsewhere?

A/ This was our party’s decision and I am very happy with it. In the BJP, the party is above individuals. Similarly, national interests are above the party interest. It is the party which decides who will contest the elections and from where. The party decided that I will contest from Gorakhpur. I am grateful to honourable Modi ji and the parliamentary board of the party for giving me the opportunity to contest the election from Gorakhpur.

Q/ You have fought and won five Lok Sabha elections. How is contesting an assembly election different?

A/ The experience is the same as before. For me it is about my party, the BJP. I have worked for the last two decades to ensure victory for my party.

Q/ If there was one decision of your government that you could reconsider, what would it be?

A/ We have executed all our initiatives in a good manner and with good intent. We will further improve on these in the next term.

Q/ If your party wins this election, how do you evaluate your position in the party? Does the responsibility seem too big?

A/ I am a worker of the party and will happily execute any role given by the party. I work under Modi ji’s guidance. Of course, being the CM of one of India’s biggest and most populous and diverse states is a great responsibility. But I was born to serve the people so I am grateful for it.