Govt jobs only through bribes earlier, now transparency: Adityanath's swipe at Akhilesh, Shivpal Yadav

Taking a swipe at an "uncle-nephew" duo, in an apparent reference to Samajwadi Party leaders Akhilesh and Shivpal Yadav, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday alleged that government jobs in UP were earlier available only through bribes or political recommendations, and claimed that his BJP government gave employment to 9.5 lakh youths in the last nine-and-a-half years. He was speaking at the launch of the 25 lakh tablet distribution programme in Lucknow on the occasion of Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas under the Swami Vivekananda Youth Empowerment Scheme. Adityanath further said that by January 26, the BJP would be handing over appointment letters to more than double the 55,000 youths present at the event.

"People often ask what has brought an end to the identity crisis. Our answer is -- the youth power of UP. When asked what that means, we said that in the past, whenever a job advertisement was released, a 'chaacha-bhatija' (uncle-nephew) duo would immediately start extortion. Young people could not get employment without bribes, any monetary transaction, or (political) recommendations. Today, I can state that in the last 9.5 years, we have provided government jobs to more than 9.5 lakh youths in UP," he said. "To the 55,000 students present here today, I want to inform you that by January 26, we will provide government jobs and distribute appointment letters to double the number of young people gathered here now.

Today, there is transparency and honesty. There are abundant opportunities for the youth. There are no more curfews or riots; everything is going well in UP," Adityanath added. Pointing out UP's massive population, Adityanath said, "Nine to ten years ago, those who were in the government used to say that such a large population was a burden. We did not view it as a burden. Instead, we recognised the population of 25 crore as a demographic both for Uttar Pradesh and for India. I believe that now, with the government providing the necessary platforms, this very demographic dividend has given results.

Through the skills of our youth, their vision, and the opportunities that have opened up for them, we have been able to demonstrate the true potential of the 'double-engine' government in Uttar Pradesh." "The Uttar Pradesh of today, which has overcome its identity crisis, is one where your generation is fortunate to be led by a 'double-engine' government operating under the guidance of PM Narendra Modi. What was the situation for the youth who earned their degrees from schools and colleges before 2017? Earlier academic sessions were never on time," he said. Speaking about the youth power, the CM said, "You possess the strength of Bajrang Bali.

Just as Bajrang Bali himself needed to be reminded of his own power, we felt it was necessary to make our youth aware of their own potential." "When we look at the world, India stands out as the youngest nation -- 56 per cent of our population is young. Within India, Uttar Pradesh is the youngest state, with 56 to 60 per cent of its population being young. It is this faith in the power of youth, combined with their hard work, that has led to the miracle we are witnessing in UP today. This is a symbol of that very energy," Adityanath asserted. Throwing light on Swami Vivekananda, Adityanath said, "He is a spiritual icon for every young person in India -- a man who elevated India's eternal traditions to new heights on the global stage.

He challenged those who held misconceptions about India. At a time when questions were being raised about the nation, he urged the youth of India to say with pride: 'We are Hindus!'" "It is for this reason that we have dedicated our tablet distribution programme, part of a campaign for the digital empowerment of our youth -- to the name of Swami Vivekananda," Adityanath said. The chief minister urged students to use the tablets for their studies, access digital libraries and gain information about developments in India and across the world. Highlighting the historical contributions of young people, Adityanath cited the determination of Lord Ram, the message of Lord Krishna and the valour of 16-year-old Abhimanyu in the Mahabharata.

He said Gautam Buddha renounced worldly life and became a monk in his youth, while Adi Shankaracharya established four religious centres in the four corners of the country. The chief minister also referred to Rani Lakshmibai's contribution to the 1857 revolt, and the struggles of Guru Gobind Singh and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Remembering the Kakori train action revolutionaries, Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqullah Khan, Thakur Roshan Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad, he said these young revolutionaries sacrificed everything for the country's freedom. Adityanath urged young people to recognise their potential and imbibe the ideals of great personalities in their lives.