Yogi Adityanath in Ghazipur: 'Don't Elect Those Who Enable Illegal Arms Licences'
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday indirectly criticised Ghazipur MP Afzal Ansari and his brother, slain gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, during a public event in Ghazipur district. Without naming them, the Chief Minister urged voters to choose public representatives who serve their constituents rather than those who facilitate illegal arms licenses.
Addressing a gathering after inaugurating and laying foundation stones for 268 development projects worth Rs 692 crore, Mr. Adityanath said, “We do not need public representatives who forge arms licences and use them to commit dacoities and encroach on people’s homes. Our government has consigned the mafia to dust. Now, when the son of a low-income family organises a Ramlila, no one dares to brandish weapons and incite riots because they know that anyone who does so will be buried under the soil.”
The Chief Minister’s remarks come amid heightened political tensions in the region ahead of the upcoming elections. Ghazipur, the home district of the Ansari brothers, has been a stronghold of the family for years. Mukhtar Ansari, who died earlier this year, was a former MLA with a criminal record, while his brother Afzal Ansari is the sitting MP from Ghazipur, currently out on bail in a case related to the 2005 murder of Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Krishnanand Rai.
Mr. Adityanath’s visit focused on development projects, including road construction, water supply schemes, and school upgrades. He emphasized that the state government is committed to improving infrastructure and curbing crime. The Chief Minister also reiterated his government’s zero-tolerance policy towards mafia elements, citing improved law and order in the state.
Political analysts view the speech as an attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party to consolidate its base in the region by highlighting its anti-mafia stance while targeting the Ansari family's political influence. The Congress and Samajwadi Party have accused the state government of using development programs for political propaganda.
