Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated 184 projects and laid the foundation stone for 141 others worth a total of Rs 2,131 crore in Saharanpur district on Thursday. He highlighted the shift from past unrest to current development.
Speaking at the event, Adityanath criticised previous governments for what he called the politics of appeasement. He recalled that between 2013 and 2016 Saharanpur saw riots, fatwas and an exodus of traders. The chief minister noted that western Uttar Pradesh had faced violence in Muzaffarnagar, Shamli and during the 2016 anti-Sikh riots.
Adityanath said an Anti-Terrorist Squad centre was set up in the district on the suggestion of local MLA Kunwar Brijesh Singh. He added that insulting Vande Mataram is now a cognizable offence. Government funds, he stated, are now directed to roads, universities, expressways and religious tourism rather than boundary walls or encroachments.
Among the projects mentioned were the redevelopment of Maa Shakambhari Dham, the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, the Ganga Expressway, a proposed airport, a sports college and an industrial-logistics hub. The chief minister said Saharanpur is now recognised for development and modern infrastructure.