'Gang of dacoits': Yogi says Akhilesh must apologise for UP 'loot and extortion'

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday lambasted the Samajwadi Party (SP), branding it a "gang of dacoits" and accusing its leadership of looting the state budget during their rule. Speaking in Deoria, Adityanath demanded that SP President Akhilesh Yadav apologize to the people of Uttar Pradesh for alleged financial mismanagement linked to the construction of the Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) in Lucknow.

The CM contrasted the present administration with past ones, asserting that Uttar Pradesh had moved away from a "BIMARU" image of poor governance, insecurity, and criminal involvement. Adityanath claimed that the state had left its troubled past behind, with criminal networks dismantled and a better reputation. He also linked development and governance to the election of competent public representatives, asserting that the state's progress was a result of the choices made by voters.

The chief minister criticized the SP-Congress governments for failing to address issues like encephalitis, which he claimed had led to the deaths of 50,000 children over 40 years. Adityanath emphasized the state's transformation, citing improvements in development, security, and infrastructure as proof of Uttar Pradesh's progress.