Three years of ‘Yogi Raj’

Utkarsh Sinha

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has completed three years in office and counted his achievements in a press conference, instead of a grand ceremony owing to coronavirus prevention.

Yogi mentioned about the historic Kumbh organised at Prayagraj and convention of NRIs along with a long list of development work in state. This included the Uttar Pradesh Diwas which was restored after a gap of 68 years and one-district one-product scheme, investor summit, 21 focus sector policy, four-lane connectivity, air transport.

He told that Poorvanchal expressway is 40% ready and all 75 districts are getting electricity. Four cities are ready for metro.

Definitely this list is a clear indication of development and an effective administration but with this there are several other issues to be discussed particularly when the state is analyzing its three years of term and the next election is just two years away. Lets discuss issues that were kept aside from the CM’s press conference.

Strengthening fanatic Hindutwa image

When Yogi Adityanath was made the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh amid strong candidates such as union minister Manoj Sinha and the party’s state president Keshav Prasad Maurya, the Cm had a strong Hindu leader’s image. He wasn’t on any administrative posts before and it was considered that he will be a successful strict administrator as he has been a Hindutwa leader.

The CM worked on this well and he could change name of cities, celebrate Deepawali in Ayodhya and used Hindu icons across state. There were social media jokes on his policy to change names.

The tourism policy too had a glimpse of this when he made a declinatory statement on Taj Mahal and promoted Hindu pilgrimage places such as Kashi, Mathura and Ayodhya. During these celebrations he did not forgot to mention that previous governments paid attention to only Muslim festivals.

Senior journalist Kumar Bhevesh Chandra says, ‘Yogi made effort to unite Hindu vote bank and took support of Muslim appeasement and himself did Hindu appeasement. Through this he did not forgot to give way to fanatic Hindutwa.’

Senior journalist Ratan Mani Lal says, Yogi Adityanath started politics as a fanatic Hindu leader and is still the same. BJP had been looking for a religious leader who has strong hold over the community and the name of Yogi was on top. Yogi should be appreciated that he did not compromised with his image.

Attempt to be strict on law and order under doubt

As soon as Yogi took oath he had given indications that he would not be soft on criminals. He gave order to the police ‘Thok Do’ (to shoot). News about encounters came from various districts and it was said that criminals have written request to surrender. But during all this police went out of control. Probe began on the death of innocents who lost lives in such encounters.

But all this could not stop criminals. Killing went on in Lucknow and Prayagraj and these cities became new hub for criminals. Murders took place inside jail. Allegations came up that the government is going selective against criminals.

Opposition alleged that government is giving shelter to some such as Brijesh Singh and Dhananjay Singh. Senior journalist Suresh Bahadur Singh says, ‘Yogi has made attempts to free state from Gundaraj and criminals but a lot more is needed on law and order front’.

Uncertainty in development front

Yogi has always tried to push development and shown commitment for that. In three years he did three mega events. With the investor summit, ground breaking summit and defence expo the government has tried to show that they are ready for investors. But despite all these events the investors weren’t interested in eastern and central Uttar Pradesh.

Yogi has shown disinterest in pushing forward the work of previous Akhilesh government hence the IT city in Lucknow got no new company. The Jai Prakash centre is awaiting budget for its completion for the past three years.

Metro work too is stalled and only debate is held for its extension. Nothing is seen on the ground. No new power generation plant has been announced. There has been no new icon of development in the state.

Senior journalist Bhaskar Dubey believes that Yogi government has nothing to show from its three year term. He said that Yogi has only cut ribbon from the Akhilesh government projects. Yogi has no significant achievement of development from three years.

Stuck in the bureaucracy?

Three years ago Yogi had told one of his confidantes that bureaucracy will be his biggest challenge. Despite knowing this he could not break the bureaucratic circle. Talks are being done in power corridor that a small group of bureaucrats has so much of influence upon him that the Cm is now away from reality. Officers who are accountable are avoiding decisions hence files are kept pending which has put side the promise of Cm to get work done on time.

Senior journalist Hemant Tiwari said that Yogi had initially shown strict attitude but later his work too went on the similar pattern of the previous governments. He said that CM has shown over confidence upon bureaucracy and perhaps this has not gone right for his government.

Zero tolerance on corruption is effective?

This is yet another issue that Yogi gave much attention and he suspended officials facing charges of corruption. Action was also taken upon them. This has put officials in terror and the work in these departments went slow. Yogi appears to be strict but his actions aren’t making impact.

Officials claiming proximity with the CM keep on doing tender until they are able to give the work to their known companies. Corruption stories are common in health and police department but the offenders are far from the reach of action. In the nut shell here also bureaucrats are ruling the roost here too an are getting decisions in their favour from the CM.

Loss due to distance from own people

Call it keeping busy or magic of the new group but the Cm is at a distance from his old well-wishers. Those well-wishers who had been with him since past 20-years and were good critics and gave correct advise to him. Hence Yogi has lost his own information network. He is now dependent upon small group of advisors and bureaucrats. This is the reason why he is not being effective despite reviews.

In all Yogi seems to be a chief minister who wants to do a lot but lacks comprehensive and elaborate vision. He is not out of his preconceptions and hence his efforts either land up under doubts or they do not leave an impact. Comment of senior journalist Ajay Kumar becomes significant.

Ajay Kumar says, ‘Keep three years aside but if they want to return back to power the Yogi government has to return to development because nothing has been done for development in three years. Hence the next two years are very significant’.