The State of Uttar Pradesh is not only the largest but the land of a “Karma yogi” as its Chief Minister. I write this column based on my personal experiences. I have been in the United States for over 40 years (my Karma-Bhoomi, the Land of Karma) with my Janma-Bhoomi (the Land of Birth) in a village in district Saharanpur of U.P. I have visited my village almost annually and observed significant transformational changes discussed below.
- The Law and Order since 2017, particularly, the safety of women/girls in the State has improved beyond belief. Everyone feels safe and an improved police attitude has made a difference.
- The availability of electricity in rural areas almost at all times has significantly improved people’s lives for the better. For example, children can study at night, tube wells can run for irrigation uninterruptedly for the farmers, greater safety because of streetlights, businesses remain open late in the evenings, small-scale industries operate longer hours for increased productivity.
- There is a visible improvement in the infrastructure of government schools. I know it firsthand because I visit rural schools on behalf of an NGO, Vidya Gyan, which helps for improved instructions. The government is doing its fair share although the needs are too many because of neglect for many decades. I recall the textbooks and dresses for children not being available for months which is now streamlined. A couple of areas still needing significant change include better accountability of teachers with respect to children’s learning, increased contact between teachers and parents, and reduced non-teaching duties to the schoolteachers.
What may seem little things are making a huge impact in the lives of commoners in rural areas. The families are living better and the communities as a whole have a positive outlook for the future. With Yogi in U.P. and Modi in the Center, people are beginning to think of “Nation first,” and respecting democracy and development. For example, Uttar Pradesh has dozens of new Medical Colleges for better health care, never before seen network of highways crisscrossing the State, the largest international airport in Jewar. On a personal note, my trip from Delhi to the village used to take 6 hours or more which is now reduced to 4 hours or less.
It has to be the miraculous outcome of the Yogi style of governance that no communal violence in the State since 2017. Why? It is because the Goonda-Raj is now transformed into Ram-Raj. The Goondas (rogue elements) of yesteryears are either behind bars, died in encounters with police, or gone underground because of the improved and toughened law and order.
Yogi’s Uttar Pradesh is also as secular as it should be. For example, when the Supreme Court ordered the construction of the Ram Mandir, the government allotted land for the mosque as directed. Similarly, during the Kashi- corridor improvements, the mosque was preserved untouched. The allotment of houses under PM’s Awas Yojana, toilets, cooking gas cylinders, distribution of food ingredients during COVID, etc. were carried out without asking one’s religious identity. In other words, no minority religious communities were disadvantaged.
Uttar Pradesh is flourishing with commoners’ safety, better living, wellbeing, and improved education, so why discontinue Yogi and his team. Obviously, Yogi’s governance model and the overall developmental policies are transforming the State and people’s lives. There is a deeper sense of one-India and Nation-first.
In conclusion, Yogi for U.P. is decidedly UPYOGI (useful) and as a Karma-Yogi, he has inculcated hopes and aspirations for people to do their Karma to the best of their ability and potential. What more to expect and that is why Uttar Pradesh needs Yogi.
By: Vijendra Agarwal
