Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday praised the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh and said it is the first precondition for the development of the state. Singh, who arrived in his parliamentary constituency Lucknow on Saturday on a two-day visit, along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, inaugurated or laid the foundation of 353 projects worth Rs 1,449.68 crore at an event at Colvin Taluqdars' College.
In his address on this occasion, Singh said that the first precondition for development is better law and order. "If there is any oxygen for development, it is proper law and order and there is no need to tell anyone about how (good) the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh is," he said. Pointing to the police encounter of criminals, Singh said, "I had read on some news portal, 'Ab Tak 63' (till now 63). I was curious as to what is the meaning of 'Ab Tak 63'. When I read the news, I came to know that 63 criminals have been killed in encounters with the police till now."
Singh said people may not be aware that Saturday marks the completion of six years of the Yogi Adityanath government in the state. "The day is very important because Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is completing six years as chief minister today. I can say that till date no one has completed such a long term as chief minister in the state. Dr. Sampurnanand ji was the longest serving chief minister, but his record has been broken. Yogi Adityanath ji has broken it," he said. He also gave the credit for the development works in the state to the chief minister. Addressing the gathering, Adityanath said that development is a continuous process. If the government and the public work together, the results increase manifold, he said.
Adityanath said India is creating a new identity in the world under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "As citizens, we also have the responsibility to fulfil PM Modi's dream of a developed India by 2047 by establishing India as a superpower," he said. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak and Union Minister of State Kaushal Kishore also addressed the function. After arriving in Lucknow, the defence minister participated in a Holi Milan function.
