Gehlot govt in Raj a failure: Arjun Ram Meghwal

In a conversation with IANS, the Union Minister, who is also the co-election in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, spoke on many other issues including the upcoming Assembly polls in the state.

Q: As co-election in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, you are constantly visiting the state, holding meetings and attending rallies. What is your assessment of the electoral scenario of the state?

A: Law and order has improved rapidly in the state. The public welfare policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have come to the ground due to the good governance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and due to this, the atmosphere looks favourable for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Q: But Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is putting the BJP government in the dock by claiming crime has increased in the state...

A: The backbone of the "goondaraj" that was seen during Akhilesh Yadav's tenure has broken. That is why they are upset and are making such statements. The development that took place in Kashi is Uttar Pradesh-centric. Being a citizen of Uttar Pradesh, and a former Chief Minister, he should have praised the developmental work... But instead of doing so, he used derogatory words for the Prime Minister.

Q: If you are talking about contesting elections on law and order and good governance, then why does this Jinnah, temple and Hindu-Muslim issue come up again and again?

A: Akhilesh Yadav brought up the Jinnah issue, we (BJP) have not done that. We want to fight elections on the issues of development and good governance. He has created this controversy by comparing Muhammad Ali Jinnah with Sardar Patel. If he raises such an issue, it's natural that reactions will also come. One thing is absolutely clear that no community -- even the Yadav community of Uttar Pradesh, will accept that Jinnah was as great as Sardar Patel... But Jinnah, the symbol of the country's partition, is great for Akhilesh.

Q: You have said "even the Yadav community will not accept it", then why did Akhilesh Yadav make such a statement?

A: Since Akhilesh himself is a Yadav, he believes that the Yadav community will vote for him. But he is bothered about the Muslim votes. The Samajwadi Party fears that Muslims may not go with Owaisi or Mayawati, so they are trying to woo the Muslim voters by chanting Jinnah's name.

Q: Also, Akhilesh Yadav is trying to create pressure around your party by forming an alliance with the small parties, and keeping the caste equation in mind. By joining Jayant Choudhary, he is trying to take along the Jats, and by striking an alliance with Om Prakash Rajbhar's party, he is reaching out to the people in Purvanchal. In the same way, the Samajwadi Party has joined many other small parties against you as well.

A: These leaders are going along with Akhilesh Yadav, their society however, is not. I am telling you about the ground reality. There are many such communities that are saying that how will they go with the one who shoots kar sevaks? Many communities believe how will they vote for those who support the people who oppressed them through hooliganism? So, the leaders may go with Akhilesh but their community will not stand with the Samajwadi Party. People have faith in the policies of Modi government and the working of Yogi government, and they are with the BJP.

Q: You have been given the charge of Braj region which is considered to be the area of farmers. What is the overall attitude of the farmers towards BJP?

A: The Yogi Adityanath government has increased the price of sugarcane, and re-started the sugar mills that were closed. All these steps are making a positive impact on the farmers. The farmers are happy with Modi's policies and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's work, and is with the BJP.

Q: Does it mean you are claiming that there is no resentment among the farmers?

A: Absolutely... There is no resentment anywhere.

Q: The Congress is talking about wooing almost half the population (women) of the state. It is running a campaign 'I am a girl, can fight', and talking about giving 40 per cent tickets to women.

A: Well, the Congress is in power in Rajasthan. Why don't they make 40 per cent (women) ministers there? In a state where they have a government, there has been no such move.... People understand everything.

Q: You mentioned the Congress government of Rajasthan which is also your home state. Despite all the criticism by your party (BJP), the Congress presents the performance of the Ashok Gehlot government as an example, and Rahul Gandhi chose Rajasthan to hold a rally against the Central government last month.

A: The Congress held a rally in Rajasthan because they were unable to draw the crowd in Delhi. In Rajasthan, the party used its influence of the government to mobilise the crowd in the rally by bringing in Anganwadi and MGNREGA workers. The Congress had called the rally on inflation but Rahul Gandhi delivered a speech on Hindutva and Hindutva. As far as Gehlot government of Rajasthan is concerned. Gehlot government divided into two camps. He has failed on every front. Even after the formation of the new cabinet, the ministers are speaking in different tone. If the government is divided into two camps, good governance turns into mis-governance, developmental work stops, and all of this is happening in Rajasthan.