Yogi Adityanath asserts that Uttar Pradesh's transformation from a 'BIMARU' state is due to tackling corruption and implementing fair recruitment processes.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday put the onus on corruption during previous governments for making the state 'BIMARU' (sick) and said the discrimination in selection processes then compelled the courts to step in.
He was speaking at the appointment letter distribution ceremony here for the newly selected personnel in the Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration.
The acronym 'BIMARU' was coined by demographer Ashish Bose in the mid-1980s, referring to names of some of the country's then poorest states -- Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
"A state like Uttar Pradesh did not turn into a 'BIMARU' state merely by chance. Rather, it was dishonesty and corruption that made the state 'BIMARU.' They transformed it into an anarchic state, a state that was plagued by hooliganism," Adityanath said.
He further claimed that curfews remained in force for months in Uttar Pradesh, and no individual felt safe.
"There was so much of discrimination in the selection processes that the honourable courts were compelled to intervene and stop them," he said.
Referring to the alleged discrimination in the recruitment process, the chief minister said, "The shattering of a young person's dreams is not merely a betrayal of that individual, but also a betrayal of the future of the coming generation, thereby hindering the process of development."
He also claimed that before 2017, if one person had appeared for the examination, another person would receive the appointment letter. "This was indeed the reality then," he said.
Recalling an incident when he was the Lok Sabha MP from Gorakhpur, Adityanath said a youth had died by suicide as "he was depressed over the fact that his name had appeared in the merit list of police recruitment, but he had not got the appointment letter".
Apparently referring to the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission, he said, "A person whose own academic degree was fake served as the chairman of the commission and oversaw the selection process. Such was the state of anarchy that prevailed. Money changed hands, recruitment drives would fail to materialise."
Adityanath added that when he took charge as the chief minister, "every single recruitment process" was stayed by the court.
As bulk of the recruitment was scheduled to occur under the Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment Board, according to Adityanath, he asked officials to draft the necessary regulations in strict accordance with the directives of the court, move the recruitment process forward and file an affidavit.
"Within the subsequent three months, we completed all the requisite formalities. The Honourable Supreme Court granted us permission to proceed. We then initiated the recruitment process. And I am pleased to state that, to date, we have successfully completed the recruitment of over 2,20,000 police personnel across the state of Uttar Pradesh," he said.
Talking about the improved medical facilities, Adityanath said there are approximately 81 medical colleges and two AIIMS institutions currently operational. Good super-specialty hospitals and nursing colleges are opening up, according to the chief minister.
"Previously, there were neither colleges nor the necessary staff within them. Everything was left entirely to the mercy of God," he said.
He further claimed that the evidence of impartiality in the current recruitment process lies in the fact that appointees would not even recognise the chairman of the recruitment board -- implying that there was no role for influence or recommendation in their hiring.