National
Mahakumbh Represents the Essence of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’: UP Governor Anandiben
Governor Anandiben Patel remarked, “The UP government is privileged to host Mahakumbh 2025, which has set fresh standards in hygiene, security, and organization. This year’s event uniquely blends faith with modernity, reflecting both tradition and progress.”
She emphasized that Mahakumbh 2025 symbolizes the unity in diversity, fostering equality and harmony, and further reinforcing the vision of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’. To date, over 50 crore devotees have participated in the sacred rituals at the Triveni Sangam.
The Governor expressed her sorrow regarding the tragic events on Mauni Amavasya, stating, “We are deeply saddened by this incident.” She extended her condolences to the bereaved families and wished a swift recovery for those injured.
She also referred to the momentous cabinet meeting held on January 22, 2025, at the holy Triveni Sangam during Mahakumbh. The Governor highlighted that crucial decisions were made during this significant gathering for the benefit of the state.
In her speech, Governor Anandiben Patel underscored the critical importance of law and order, stating that security is fundamental for a civilized society. She reaffirmed the government’s dedication to preserving peace and stability, asserting, “Under my administration, there have been no occurrences of communal riots or caste-related conflicts.”
She noted that Uttar Pradesh has successfully managed major festivals, fairs, religious events, and elections in a peaceful and orderly manner. The Governor credited the administration’s initiatives for nurturing a secure community and upholding public safety.
“Before 2017, the law and order situation in the state was dire, and public trust in the administration had diminished. However, under the Yogi government, police modernization and reforms have transformed Uttar Pradesh into a model for effective law enforcement,” she stated.
The Governor pointed out that the government has adopted a ‘zero-tolerance policy towards crime’ and continuously improved policing standards. These initiatives have fostered a crime-free environment as the government strives towards achieving the vision of ‘Ram Rajya’ — a state characterized by justice, peace, and good governance.
She noted the impressive results of ‘Operation Conviction’, which aims to enhance conviction rates in Uttar Pradesh. From July 2023 to December 2024, the operation resulted in the death sentences of 51 criminals, life imprisonment for 6,287, and various other prison terms for thousands more.
Additionally, she reported that since November 2019, effective legal actions against notorious mafia figures have led to 31 mafia leaders and 74 accomplices being sentenced to life imprisonment, other jail terms, and fines, with two receiving the death penalty.
“Moreover, the government has seized and demolished properties worth over Rs 4,074 crore linked to dubious ownership while recovering movable and immovable assets valued over Rs 141 billion from illegal claims,” she added.
The Governor further discussed the success of ‘Operation Trinetra’, which has resulted in the installation of more than 1.1 million CCTV cameras in police stations. She highlighted the impressive improvement in the response time of UP-112 emergency services, which has decreased from over 25 minutes in 2017 to just over 7 minutes in 2024.
She noted that prior to 2017, Uttar Pradesh had only two cybercrime police stations, but now every district is equipped with one. Since then, the state has registered 21,655 FIRs related to complaints lodged on Twitter.
The Governor applauded the achievements of the Special Task Force (STF) in preventing 653 serious crimes and mentioned that the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested 130 terrorists and 171 Rohingya/Bangladeshi nationals and their associates since 2017.
She also highlighted the efforts made by the Yogi government to enhance police capacity, revealing that over 156,000 personnel have been recruited, and more than 149,000 have been promoted by the Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment and Promotion Board since 2017. Ongoing recruitment efforts are in place for 92,919 non-gazetted roles.
In her address, Governor Patel spoke about the state’s advancements in infrastructure, dubbing Uttar Pradesh as the ‘Expressway State’ of India. She noted the operational Yamuna, Agra-Lucknow, Purvanchal, and Bundelkhand Expressways, along with the upcoming Ganga and Gorakhpur Link Expressways.
According to her, Uttar Pradesh now holds the highest share of the country’s expressway network. She shared information regarding ongoing projects, including the Chitrakoot Link Expressway, a connector between Agra-Lucknow and Purvanchal Expressways, the Bundelkhand-Agra-Lucknow link via Farrukhabad, and the Ganga Expressway, as well as the Jewar Airport Link Expressway.
The Urban Development Department has submitted a detailed proposal to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the establishment of ‘Krishna Lok Park’ in Mathura and ‘Lav-Kush Park’ along with ‘Shri Purushottam Darshan Anubhav Kendra’ in Ayodhya.
Drawing inspiration from Prayagraj’s Shivalaya Park and Lucknow’s UP Darshan Park, these new developments aim to transform urban waste into artistic and spiritual environments.
These parks will be created under the state’s “Waste to Wealth” initiative, utilizing scrap metal and other urban waste materials. This initiative aligns with CM Yogi’s vision for sustainable urban development, according to officials.
The Krishna Lok Park in Mathura will depict significant moments from Lord Krishna’s life through innovative 3D imaging, interactive models, and light-and-sound presentations. Visitors will relive key events such as his birth, the vanquishing of Putana, Bakasura, and Kansa, as well as his heroic exploits, Draupadi’s rescue, and his Vishwaroop revelation during the Bhagavad Gita in the Mahabharata.
Additionally, the park will feature engaging areas for children, including swings designed like flutes and peacocks, and visual displays recreating the ancient ambiance of Mathura-Vrindavan.
In Ayodhya, the Lav-Kush Park will concentrate on the tales of Lord Ram’s sons, Lav and Kush, along with other significant episodes from Lord Ram’s life. This park will include a state-of-the-art Shri Purushottam Darshan Anubhav Kendra that offers LED displays, interactive walls, murals, projections, and touch-screen kiosks to share inspiring stories.
For younger visitors, Lav-Kush Park will also host an entertainment zone with photo opportunities, a bow-and-arrow area, horse rides, obstacle courses, a learning section, and storytelling zones utilizing interactive technology.
These theme parks are designed to provide both entertainment and education, generate revenue for local municipalities, and promote spiritual tourism in Mathura and Ayodhya.
In what can be seen as a gag order, both Reddy and Nagendran emphasized the importance of refraining from unnecessary critiques of the coalition and avoiding provocative reactions. This directive notably followed remarks by senior AIADMK leader M. Thambidurai, who reasserted party general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s (EPS) firm stance that a coalition government would not be formed.
Adding to the BJP’s discomfort, several AIADMK leaders have attempted to draw a distinction between an electoral coalition and a coalition government. EPS’s public contradiction of Amit Shah, who claimed there would be a coalition government involving BJP participation, stirred unrest within the saffron party, prompting swift efforts for damage control.
The AIADMK has also issued a similar gag order to its leaders, instructing them not to discuss the issue publicly. Following suit, the BJP aims to mitigate any further fallout from the situation.
“Guidance for the BJP will come from the national leadership. On policy matters, public expressions of opinion are discouraged; discussions should remain within internal meetings. Decisions regarding the alliance will be jointly made by Amit Shah and EPS. We must avoid unnecessary criticism,” Reddy stated.
He further emphasized that the AIADMK’s reintegration into the NDA was a collaborative decision between Shah and EPS, which would ultimately position the BJP to secure double-digit seats and a considerable presence within the assembly.
Aware of the importance of maintaining this partnership, Nainar Nagendran underscored the need for campaign and promotional materials, including posters and wall writings, to avoid creating discord within the coalition or disparaging any individual leaders. He reiterated that such materials should solely serve to strengthen both the party and the alliance, with the primary goal being to oust the “anti-people and dynastic” DMK government from power.
The Ministry noted that the NSQ and spurious drug lists are updated monthly and made available on the CDSCO portal as part of regular regulatory surveillance.
The categorization of drug samples as NSQ is based on their failure to meet specified quality parameters during testing by government laboratories. Importantly, such failures pertain only to the specific batch tested and do not necessarily raise concerns about other products available in the market.
Additionally, one drug sample from West Bengal was identified as spurious; it was produced by an unauthorized manufacturer using a brand name owned by another company. The Minister confirmed that this issue is under investigation, and appropriate action will be taken in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations.
This ongoing effort to identify NSQ and spurious medications is carried out in collaboration with state regulators to ensure that these products are promptly removed from the market.
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