New India will not spare those who threaten its security: Yogi
He mentioned a proposal to build embankments at a cost of ₹180 crore but questioned how a mud embankment could stop 3 to 3.25 lakh cusecs of water flowing into the Sharda river
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said India is ready to respond to those who threaten its security, in the language they understand.
“ Yeh naya Bharat kisi ko chhedta nahin lekin agar koi chhedega toh usko chhodega bhi nahin. (New India does not provoke anyone, but under PM Modi’s leadership, it will not spare anyone who threatens peace),” Adityanath said, reaffirming the zero tolerance policy, while speaking at a public meeting in Lakhimpur Kheri district.
He began his speech by condemning the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
Expressing his condolences to all the bereaved families, he said, “There is no place for terrorism or anarchy in the society.”
Speaking about the security situation in Uttar Pradesh, the chief minister said, “Under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi, we have made the state mafia-free, freed it from anarchy and riots, and made it the leading economy of the country.”
“Uttar Pradesh, under BJP rule, has established itself as a state, which is among the fastest growing economies of the country and where youth face no identity crisis. The state of UP is now counted for its modern infrastructure, highways, expressways, largest metro network, inland waterway and rapid rail,” he said.
During his visit to Lakhimpur Kheri where the chief minister inspected channelization work on the Sharda, he criticised Congress and SP for dividing society in the name of caste, dishonouring heroes like Chhatrapati Shivaji and Rana Sanga while glorifying “cruel rulers” like Aurangzeb and Babur.
“When in power, the Samajwadi Party pushed farmers to suicide, forced youth to migrate, and shielded criminals who threatened the safety of women, daughters, sisters, and traders. Today, governance is firmly focused on ensuring the security of all,” the chief minister said.
Referring to an incident two years ago, he pointed out that during the Run for Unity event on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary, the SP leaders attempted to glorify Jinnah and even wanted to rename events after their own family members. “Our government restored the Kannauj Medical College in the name of Babasaheb Ambedkar,” he added.
“Public tax money must be used properly, not for ministers or chief minister,” he further said, while assuring farmers, that both crops and villages will be safe from floods.
He distributed loans, grants, houses, and tractor keys to beneficiaries of various scheme during an event. He stated that the Centre’s model, centered on service, security, and good governance, prioritizes development, welfare, and safety for all.
Currently, work is underway to construct a seven-kilometer-long channel of the Sharda river. While his visit was planned for early April, he directed officials to expedite the process, which is now progressing rapidly.
He mentioned a proposal to build embankments at a cost of ₹180 crore but questioned how a mud embankment could stop 3 to 3.25 lakh cusecs of water flowing into the Sharda river. He emphasised the need to properly channel the river, use dredgers, and create a clear path to provide a permanent solution to the flood issue.
He directed that the same work be completed for just ₹22 crore instead of ₹180 crore, with a completion deadline of June 10. He assured that, once finished, floodwaters would no longer trouble Palia, Nighasan, or Lakhimpur Kheri. Instead, they would flow smoothly into the Saryu river, he said.
“After the channelisation, the heavy discharge into Sharda measuring 3 to 3.25 lakh cusec would not spread to village and agricultural fields but join the Ghaghara and Saryu rivers and thus crops, houses, land and lives would be safe.”
“The channelisation of the river would save 2.5 lakh people of 400 villages in Pallia, Nighasan and Lakhimpur from Sharda floods,” he added.
Before 2017, farmers would often wait for up to 10 years to receive their sugarcane payments, he said, adding that today, no payment is older than one year. Out of 122 sugar mills, 105 are clearing payments within a week, he said. For the remaining 17 mills where delays persist, solutions are being worked out, he added.
Extending his wishes for Akshaya Tritiya and Lord Parashuram Jayanti on April 30, he highlighted ongoing development projects like the Gola Gokarnnath Corridor and the expansion of Dudhwa National Park.
“When the temperature in Lucknow hits 46 degrees, it will be only 38 degrees in Dudhwa,” he noted, adding that increased tourism will bring more employment opportunities.
He said with Dudhwa National Park in its fold, Kheri had immense tourism opportunities which could be boosted through an airport, for which his government had released budget.”
Under the National Rural Livelihood Mission, revolving funds were given to 358 self-help groups, while 882 groups received CIF demo cheques totaling over ₹14.30 crore.
Reviewing details of the Sharda river channelisation project, the chief minister boarded a boat to inspect the ongoing work personally.
He was accompanied by UP water resource minister Swatantra Dev Singh, excise minister and Kheri incharge Nitin Agrawal, Pallia BJP MLA Romi Sahni and Kheri DM Durga Shakti Nagpal.
Kheri BJP district president Sunil Singh, BJP MLAs Yogesh Verma, Romi Sahni, Vinod Awasthi, Saurabh Singh Sonu, Manju Tyagi, Aman Giri, Lokendra Pratap Singh, Shashank Verma, Gola Nagar palika president Vijay Shukla Rinku, Lucknow divisional commissioner Dr Roshan Jacob, Kheri DM Durga Shakti Nagpal, officials of water resource and irrigation department were prominent among those present during the CM’s visit.
