Farmers Movement Archive

Kairana 'exodus' a matter of honour for country: Yogi

Meerut: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath said in Kairana, in Shamli district, on Monday that those with "Talibani mindset will not be tolerated in Uttar Pradesh". Referring to the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots and the Kairana "exodus", he added, “For us, the Kairana exodus was a matter of honour for the state, as well as the country. The criminals who had forced Kairana businessmen to flee their homes are themselves compelled to follow the exodus process now.” Late BJP leader Hukum Singh, who had represented the Kairana assembly seat seven times before he moved on as MP in 2014, had first raised the issue of "exodus" of businessmen from a certain community due to threat from criminal elements in 2016. Yogi said those families that had migrated to other areas from Kairana between 2014 and 2016 and have now returned would be given compensation and assistance to re-establish themselves. The Kairana "exodus" had found special mention in the BJP's manifesto for the 2017 state polls. Yogi also laid the foundation for projects worth Rs 426 crore, including the establishment of a Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) Battalion at a cost of Rs 250 crore in Kairana. Attacking the opposition, the CM said, "Those for whom votes were everything honoured the rioters of Muzaffarnagar and criminals of Kairana...Whosoever tries to instigate riots today, his future generations will remember the consequences." On the issue of farmers -- large parts of western UP have in recent days seen farmers from all faiths coming together to protest the centre's three farm laws -- the UP CM targeted opposition parties and said, "What did they do for farmers when they were in power? We have waived loans to the tune of Rs 36,000 crore to 86 lakh farmers in the last four-and-a-half years." Yogi is scheduled to visit Deoband, which houses the world-renowned Islamic seminary Darul Uloom, on Wednesday. Last week, Darul Uloom had declared that "the Islamic seminary has decided not to entertain any political leader during the election season”.

The Times of India

2021-11-09

Meerut