‘One district, one mafia’ era in UP replaced by ODOP: Adityanath

MEERUT Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday took pot shots at the previous Samajwadi Party government, accusing it of fostering a culture of lawlessness with its “one district, one mafia” policy, which he said has now been replaced by the ODOP initiative.

He was addressing an event as part of the CM Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan in Saharanpur, where loans were distributed to 365 entrepreneurs.

“Every district had a mafia under the previous government. We replaced that with ‘One District, One Product’ so that artisans and local products get global recognition and create jobs,” the chief minister said.

Without naming Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Adityanath criticized the past leadership , remarking: “If the leader of a state wakes up at noon, gets ready by 2pm, and then goes on picnics with his friends, when will he work? The public suffered while his associates looted the state.”

Adityanath highlighted his government’s focus on connectivity, stating that efforts are underway to reduce travel time between Saharanpur and Delhi to just 1 hour and 45 minutes.

He also noted the success of the ODOP scheme, particularly Saharanpur’s renowned wood carving industry, which now exports goods worth ₹1,000 crore globally.

Criticizing previous governments for neglecting artisans, he said, “Earlier, these craftsmen existed, but the old governments were too busy turning them into vote banks. They never cared about providing them with better designs, technology, packaging, or export facilities.”

On employment generation, Adityanath announced that during Holi, the state had initiated 60,244 police recruitments, including opportunities for youth in Saharanpur. Notably, over 12,000 of these recruits were women.

“From 1947 to 2017, there were only 10,000 women in UP Police. In just one recruitment drive, we added over 12,000 daughters to the force,” he said, adding that his administration has provided over 7 lakh government jobs so far, without allegations of nepotism or regional bias.

The CM also underlined his government’s commitment to fairness, stating, “This government is here to recognize and support your hard work. It is not meant for dynastic politics where a handful of people loot power for themselves.”

Adityanath praised the recently concluded Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, which witnessed the participation of over 66 crore devotees. He highlighted how the event boosted local businesses, saying, “Because of the Mahakumbh, people from different sectors found opportunities—some started tea stalls, some sold vegetables, some offered taxi services, some ferried passengers on boats, while others supplied goods, earning crores of rupees.”

“Even those who initially questioned the crowd at the event eventually came to witness it themselves,” he added.

Adityanath contrasted the present state of UP with the past, saying, “This is the same Uttar Pradesh where no one wanted to invest before 2017. Entrepreneurs and traders were fleeing, entire towns were deserted, and families worried about their safety. Girls had to stay in hostels or with relatives to study safely, farmers faced tube well thefts, and people lived in constant fear.”

He asserted that in the last eight years, security for daughters, traders, and the common people has improved. “Only the mafia feel unsafe now. Those who once backed them are the ones in distress, wondering how this transformation happened.”

In a sharp attack on West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Adityanath said those who called the Mahakumbh a “festival of death” could not even manage communal clashes in their own state during Holi.

“More than 66 crore devotees participated in the Mahakumbh, yet not a single crime incident occurred. Uttar Pradesh is the only place in the world capable of successfully organizing such a massive event,” he claimed.

Referring to the alleged violence in West Bengal’s Birbhum district on March 14, Adityanath criticized Banerjee’s handling of law and order. “They called our Mahakumbh disorganized and labelled it a ‘mrityu Kumbh (festival of death),’ but they couldn’t even control law and order in their own state during Holi,” he remarked.

Banerjee had criticized the Mahakumbh after a stampede on January 29 resulted in at least 30 deaths and 60 injuries. Taking a dig at her governance, Adityanath said, “Whenever there is a festival in their state, a curfew is imposed. Here, in UP, Holi was celebrated with joy, followed by ‘Jumma’ prayers, without any restrictions. Their entire population is equal to just our Muslim population, yet they couldn’t manage the situation.”

He emphasized that good governance requires “the right intent, a positive approach, teamwork, and respect for public sentiment.”

The CM expressed confidence in the state’s economic potential, saying, “UP was once counted among the ‘sick’ states with its economy ranked sixth, seventh, or eighth, but now it is the second largest in the country. It won’t take long for UP to become the country’s largest economy.”