Lucknow, Nov. 11 -- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday played down concerns over post-Diwali pollution, saying it would subside, and questioned why those raising the issue remained silent about people who had allegedly polluted the system through corruption.
Addressing a government programme in Lucknow, Adityanath said people had celebrated Diwali with enthusiasm, and there was no need to be overly concerned about the pollution.
"Some people are saying that pollution has increased because of Diwali. So what if it has increased? It will subside as well. Why are you worried?" he said.
"Those who have polluted the entire system through their corrupt deeds are not questioned. But if the public bursts firecrackers and celebrates with fireworks for one day, suddenly pollution becomes an issue," he added.
Defending the celebrations, the chief minister said people had done the right thing by celebrating Diwali with fireworks and enthusiasm.
"People celebrated Diwali with great enthusiasm and burst plenty of firecrackers. We had said that we would not impose any restrictions. Let people burst firecrackers and celebrate," the chief minister said.
Referring to his participation in the fireworks celebrations in Ayodhya, Adityanath said he had also been present there.
"I was also there in Ayodhya during the fireworks celebrations," he said.
Taking an apparent dig at those questioning the celebrations, he said people did not object when corruption allegedly damaged the system but raised concerns when citizens celebrated festivals.
"When something wrong happens, these people don't speak up, but when a festival is celebrated, they suddenly remember pollution," he said.
Adityanath also referred to the grand Deepotsav celebrations in Ayodhya and the festivities surrounding Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj, saying festivals were now being celebrated peacefully across the state.
He contrasted the present situation with the period before 2017 -- when the BJP was not in power -- claiming that festivals such as Holi, Diwali, Vijayadashami, Janmashtami, Shivratri, Christmas, Eid, Guru Parv and Makar Sankranti were often preceded by communal tensions and riots under previous governments.
"Before 2017, whenever any festival approached, be it Holi, Diwali, Vijayadashami, Janmashtami, Shivratri, Christmas, Eid, Guru Parv or Makar Sankranti, riots would begin. Every person felt insecure," he said.
Adityanath said curfews during that period had affected traders, with markets remaining shut and goods brought by shopkeepers left to perish.
"Over the last nine-and-a-half years, there has been no curfew and no riot in Uttar Pradesh. No curfew, no riots, and everything is thriving in Uttar Pradesh," he said.
He also mentioned the state government's decision to provide free bus travel to women aged 60 years and above travelling to meet their brothers on Bhai Dooj.
The programme was organised for distributing appointment letters to 1,146 newly selected junior assistants in the Revenue Department and financial assistance to 4,300 beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Krishak Durghatna Kalyan Yojana.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.