Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on December 5 in Lucknow said those who play the “caste card” weaken both the nation and the society. The statement holds significance amid continuous demands for a caste-based census by Opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh, who argue that it is necessary to know the population and economic condition of each caste group before formulating welfare policies.
“People who play the caste card weaken the country and society. The deaths caused by encephalitis in Uttar Pradesh before 2017 reveal such people’s true colours. In the last 40 years, more than 50,000 children died due to encephalitis, but insensitive people continued their caste politics to secure vote banks,” Mr. Adityanath, while speaking at a programme as part of Mission Rozgar at the Lok Bhavan in Lucknow, said. He highlighted that in his regime, encephalitis was completely under control in the State. “Deaths due to encephalitis have decreased by 96- to 98%,” he said.
The U.P. CM added that the State had witnessed significant positive developments since 2017. “Before 2017, people were experiencing an identity crisis and the State was lacking on all counts. Due to our efforts over the last six-and-a-half years, the people of Uttar Pradesh not only proudly express their identity, but even those who are not originally from U.P. proudly associate themselves with the State,” the U.P. CM. said.
Stressing on the development of health infrastructure of the state, he added that before 2017, only 12 medical colleges had been established in U.P. “Presently, there are 65 medical colleges in the State, of which many are functioning,” Mr. Adityanath said.
