Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, speaking at a BJP event aimed at Dalit outreach, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and stated that the BJP is realizing Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s dream of inclusive development. He also took the opportunity to criticize the Samajwadi Party, accusing them of hypocrisy for advocating Ambedkar’s ideals after allegedly oppressing Dalits.
Adityanath delivered his remarks at the ‘Conference for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes’ in Hapur, which marks the first in a series of outreach programs for Dalits scheduled across the state in the coming days.
“If anyone has given due respect to Ambedkar, it is only Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Adityanath said, while highlighting the memorials built by the BJP-led central government in honor of the Dalit icon and the chief of the drafting committee responsible for India’s Constitution.
He went on to mention the completion of the Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar International Centre in Delhi under Modi’s guidance. Adityanath also revealed plans for a similar institute in Lucknow, where youth from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities can pursue higher education and receive coaching.
Adityanath said that under the BJP’s leadership, the dream of Ambedkar for inclusive development is being realized. He said, “‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’ is not a mere slogan but a thought reflected in policies.”
The event in Hapur was attended by several prominent BJP figures, including state president Bhupendra Chaudhary, Union Ministers V K Singh and Kaushal Kishore, and several UP ministers and MPs.
Adityanath criticized the previous non-BJP governments for their focus on specific groups, communities, and religions when formulating policies, contrasting that approach with the current government’s commitment to providing welfare schemes without discrimination.
Adityanath did not hold back in his criticism of the Samajwadi Party, claiming that they had “oppressed” Dalits and expressed doubt about their sincerity in advocating for Ambedkar’s ideals.
“Isn’t it correct that in 2016, the Samajwadi Party stopped the scholarship of all Dalit students in the state?” Adityanath questioned.
Adityanath assured the crowd, which included thousands of people from various parts of western Uttar Pradesh, that the BJP government has celebrated events and festivals like Ambedkar Jayanti, Ravidas Jayanti, Valmiki Jayanti, and the Kanwar Yatra with full enthusiasm since coming to power in 2017. He expressed his commitment to continue working towards the prosperity, happiness, security, and realization of Ambedkar’s dreams for the people of the state.
He emphasized that the current government’s focus is on those who have remained untouched by the benefits of government policies, including villagers, youth, women, and deprived communities. Adityanath concluded by reiterating the BJP’s commitment to ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas.’
State BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary added that previous governments had used communities as “vote banks” and discriminated in welfare schemes, emphasizing that the BJP believes in ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’ at both the national and state levels.
