The Bharatiya Janata Party’s surprise pick for the Chief Minister’s office in Uttar Pradesh has left a mark on people at large. Yogi Adityanath’s 100 days in office, in fact, put the Akhilesh Government in pale shadow
Shaan Kashyap from Lucknow
The arrival of Yogi Adityanath in March, 2017 at the helm of affairs of the most populous State of Bharat,UP, has been dubbed as the politics of ‘New India’. This politics came into existence due to the people’s belief that ‘politics of performance’ must overtake the hitherto ‘politics of division’. Thus, when the historic mandate was given to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh (UP) Assembly elections, the responsibilities became mighty and people’s expectations were higher than ever before. They started envisioning the politics of performance and Yogi as a leader was entrusted to perform and deliver.
Having gone by 100 days, it is time to enlist the achievements of Yogi Government. While doing so, we must be reminded that people elect a Government for full five years term and the overall assessment can only be done after the term ends. However, we must analyse the performance which indicates the direction and mode of the
governance.
Historian Rakesh Pandey, who teaches at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has viewed the first 100 days aptly and profoundly. While being asked to respond he left the following message on his Facebook account, which said that “In the hundred days of Yogi one may feel the arrival of a Government in UP which made a mark in fair deal in public life.” He added that, “On law and order, the waiving of loans to farmers, the Government procurement of wheat, anti-Romeo squad, and the move to close illegal slaughter houses, gave a feel of the arrival of a Government that works.”
‘The arrival of a Government’ is the key phrase. It implies that previous Government was in absentia while democracy claimed to function in UP. But with a proactive Chief Minister at the helm of affairs, governance in UP is visibly felt every day. It is worth examining how the switch from absence to hard hitting presence of governance was done in merely 100 days. A note of poll promises and its deliverance by the Yogi Sarkar is sufficient to answer it.
The highlights of the BJP manifesto in UP are already being acted upon effectively on the ground. Named as the Lok Kalyan Sankalp Patra (Pledge for People’s Welfare), the manifesto promised an inclusive development for all classes and sections with a special emphasis on the maintenance of law and order. The manifesto pronounced the motto as Na goondaraj; Na Bhrastachar.
The emphasis on ‘no corruption’ began soon after the government took charge. On March 19, Adityanath ordered all the Ministers to declare their income, movable and immovable properties within 15 days. The declaration had to be submitted to CM secretariat. Even oath of cleanliness and honesty was administered to all the Ministers, and Friday was fixed when the State staff must tidy up workspace. For 62 years old Ram Tiwari, a resident of Jaunpur, this was a praiseworthy precedence that CM himself is leading the no corruption and cleanliness drive from the front. He added that “Modiji at the Centre and Yogiji in UP are spearheading their governance similarly. Now we feel that we have leaders who know how to lead.” Even the order of ban on paan masala and guthka consumption in Government offices, hospitals and schools came in the same spirit. Another student of Allahabad University Awadhesh Vishwakarma said “Yogi declared that officers who cannot work for 18-20 hours are free to leave.”
One cannot say that the crime graph in UP has completely come down but what is remarkable is that in comparison to the Akhilesh Government things have really improved. Everyone shares the hope that things will be fine in coming days. People like Ajeet Maurya (Agra) and Ram Khilawan (Kanpur Dehat) do not forget to compare the situation now with previous Akhilesh Yadav Government and acknowledge that Samajwadi Party Government was one of the worst Governments they have even come across.
The claim of two men can be corroborated by the observation of officials as well. A Lucknow-based police official while talking to Organiser said, The BJP does not have the same ethos on crime and cadre as Akhilesh Government had. Yogi has told us not to hesitate in taking action against anyone. But it will take time for people on the ground to internalise it.” The real issue is one of internalising on the ground when orders coming from above will be taken seriously in both words and spirit.
On the social question as well, there has been mixed reactions. While small and petty farmers across the State are elated with loan waiver, they are seeking more effective steps. Others such as Rameshwar Verma (name changed on request), a peon in a Block office in Azamgarh is content with cleanliness drive and filtering out of the ineligible pensioners from Government database. Many school children such as Divya (Lucknow), Shobha (Kanpur), Anurag (Jhansi) and others are awaiting the arrival of Yogi in their schools. Children unanimously state that schools are working effectively now with teachers arriving in time since they fear that “Yogi ji can visit them any day.” While others such as Rakesh Paswan, a student is looking forward to the free laptop distribution which was inaugurated on March 19, but still remains without an announcement of the launch date.
Mixed Baggage
Yet the reactions across some classes and sections offers mixed baggage in UP on the completion of 100 days of the Yogi Sarkar. Many are happy, some some have reservations, still. A Kanpur based businessman who deals in CCTV cameras acknowledges “Everyone is so hopeful. There has been a large improvement in administration, infrastructure building, and we keep our shops open till late night since market is filled with people.”
Sociologist Arvind Joshi at BHU (Varanasi) explains this mix baggage. He said, “We have lots of expectations from Yogiji. He is trying hard with utmost sincerity but is not able to do enough due to corrupt and inefficient officers.” Thus, the issue is not the ‘political will’ but the ‘execution’ and the corridors of deliverance.
However, one thread which runs across the reactions—satisfied or unsatisfied—is one of the ‘hope, optimism and energy’. People have now started feeling that governance is for real in their State. Many also feel that 100 days are not sufficient to access the performance of the government which has come to power after decades of ‘jungle raj’ of SP and BSP. People are willing to offer more time to Yogi Adityanath and believe that he won’t leave any stone unturned to take UP on the path of
development and prosperity. One feature which emerges unanimously among respondents, is their belief that Yogi Sarkar at the State is working on the same positive note as Modi sarkar in the Centre.
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