Lucknow, Nov 11 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said that a "Saifai syndicate" controlled recruitment processes in the state before 2017, accusing the Samajwadi Party and the Congress of promoting corruption, nepotism and irregularities that deprived deserving candidates of government jobs.
The CM also asked the current and previous generation to "never forgive them", alleging wrongdoings by the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in the past.
He was speaking at a programme here for the distribution of appointment letters to 1,146 newly selected Junior Assistants in the Revenue Department and financial assistance of Rs 215 crore to 4,300 beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Krishak Durghatna Kalyan Yojana.
"Before 2017, there was a kind of anarchy in Uttar Pradesh. All the recruitment commissions and boards had become paralysed. A syndicate operated in the state -- the 'Saifai syndicate' -- which had taken control of them," he alleged.
Saifai is the native place of SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Without naming SP president Akhilesh Yadav, Adityanath targeted him while referring to a statement by the "chief of the recruitment syndicate" questioning the government's announcement on distributing appointment letters to one lakh young people.
Taking a dig at the former chief minister, Adityanath said, "If he knows how to count, he should start counting. And if he does not know how to count, he should keep Shivpal Yadav with him as a tutor. He has old experience in counting. He is an experienced leader and has spent his entire life counting."
He further said the former CM appeared to be unaware of appointment-letter distribution programmes (being done in morning) because "he might be asleep when such events are held".
"Also, this is Diwali festive time, thoda jua to ho jaata hai (he might have had some gambling sessions) with friends till late night, so he wakes up late in the day," Adityanath said without naming Yadav.
He also made a reference to the hit Hindi film "Munna Bhai MBBS", drawing a parallel between its plot and alleged irregularities in recruitment under previous governments.
"Before 2017, there were 'Munna Bhais' sitting in the government as well as in the recruitment process. Someone else would take the examination and someone else would walk away with the appointment letter," he alleged.
Adityanath said such practices had harmed both candidates who paid money to secure jobs and those who prepared for examinations through hard work.
"Those who bought jobs by paying money and those who prepared for examinations through hard work -- both were cheated. The person who took money would deposit it in foreign banks and accumulate properties in different countries, while the youth of Uttar Pradesh were left cheated at every level," he alleged.
He said candidates who faced irregularities had to approach courts, resulting in stays on recruitment processes, while the state suffered from a shortage of personnel.
Referring to the police force, Adityanath said around 1.5 lakh posts were vacant when his government assumed office in 2017. He also accused the then Samajwadi Party government of abolishing 34 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC).
The CM further claimed that around 1,500 riots had taken place during the four terms of Samajwadi Party governments in Uttar Pradesh.
He accused the SP and the Congress of creating an identity crisis for the state through lawlessness, corruption, nepotism and the alleged capture of recruitment commissions and boards by relatives and associates.
"You are fortunate that most of you turned young during the tenure of this double-engine government, during the Modi era. You have witnessed a changing India over the last 12 years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and it is your good fortune that you have entered your youth during this period," he said.
"But the previous governments played with the lives of the generation immediately preceding yours. They betrayed that generation and created an identity crisis for them. The present generation, as well as your preceding generation, should never forgive them. Never forgive them," Adityanath said.
"If anyone created an identity crisis for Uttar Pradesh, it was the Samajwadi Party and the Congress. Their anarchy, corruption, nepotism and loot, and the way they placed their brothers and nephews in recruitment commissions and boards, ruined the lives of young people," he said.
Adityanath said the alleged irregularities had contributed to UP being counted among the country's economically backward states before 2017.
Contrasting that period with the present, he said the state had witnessed an improvement in law and order, employment opportunities and business activity.
"Today, government jobs are being provided, new factories are being established and businesses are flourishing. Markets are bustling because there are no curfews and riots," he said.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)