UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath. (Express Photo by Pradip Das/File)
Opposition members in the state Assembly on Tuesday referred to the budget tabled by the state government last month as “emotional corruption”, alleging that latter had been able to utilise only about 60 per cent of the previous budget. Speaking during a debate on the budget, they claimed that promises made had not been “fulfilled” and that it was “anti-farmers, anti-youth, anti-unemployed, anti-poor, anti -journalist as well as anti-legislators”.
Both SP and BSP targeted Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for referring to their tie-up for the Lok Sabha bypolls as “saap-chhachhundar ki jodi” during a public meeting earlier. “During election, support given by BSP to SP led to lot of discomfort in your stomach. Chief minister called it a ‘Saanp-Chhahundar ki jodi’. This reflects about your mindset about Dalits and Backwards. Mayawati had made it clear that it is not an alliance and supported us against the wrong policies of BJP,” said Leader of Opposition in Assembly Ram Govind Chaudhary.
Alleging that just about 60 per cent of the previous budget had been utilised (see box), Chaudhary referred to the latest budget as “chhalawa”.
Chaudhary said that while the state government was subjected to “step-motherly” treatment by the Centre in the past, it now gave more to the state government than what was requested. He further claimed that the amount of loan taken by the state government had also increased.
“This government is trying to pat its own back on the basis of central governments funds,” said the leader of Opposition. He also alleged that the budgets of significant departments like dairy development, public works department tourism, vocational education, institutional finance etc. had all been reduced as compared to the previous year. Chaudhary added that even the budget meant for the loan waiver scheme in 2017-18 financial year could not be utilised completely.
Alleging that the state government in the past year and the Centre had over the past 4 years failed to provide the jobs promised, Chaudhary claimed the same was given during the previous regimes of Akhilesh, Mayawati, Congress.
Targeting the recent Investors Summit, Chaudhary said while PM Narendra Modi must have covered about 90 per cent of all foreign countries, but could not attract foreign investment. He alleged that while a claim is being made for a “Swadeshi Andolan”, the LED lights used to decorate street lights were more like “Chinese lights”.
The SP leader accused the present government of either taking credit for works undertaken during the Akhilesh Yadav-led government, or had stopped them in the name of inquiries. Chaudhary alleged that the budget did not provide any schemes for the upliftment of Scheduled Castes and that funds for scholarships had also been reduced. He further said claimed that even Scheduled Tribes like Gond, Kharwar were being denied caste certificates.
Indirectly referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s election speech, Chaudhary said, “Wada kiya that usne ki sab muskurayenge… Ulta para hai daun, ab sab ro rahe hain (He had promised that everyone will smile…but now everyone is crying).” He added that the budget was mere “chu-chu ka muraba”.
BSP Legislature Party leader Lalji Verma said “emotional corruption” is one where one promises one thing and then turns their back on that promise. Verma said that neither were youth were given laptops, nor did they get free WiFi, nor were new colleges opened as promised.
Referring to the CM’s “Saanp-Chhachhundar remark”, Verma said that while BJP tied up with those who “played holi with Tiranga”, it is troubled by SP, BSP supporting each other. He said that the tie-up of BJP in Tripura and Jammu and Kashmir would be considered as “political corruption”.
Referring to Adityanath’s speech on the Governor’s address, where he had said that he is a Hindu and does not celebrate Eid, Verma said, “Chief minister of a state does not have any religion. He takes oath to serve all.”