BJP ended discrimination of caste, religion: Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath claimed his government has ended discrimination in the name of caste and religion that was "common" during the previous dispensations.

Attacking the SP and BSP governments, he claimed there was an "atmosphere of corruption and anarchy" which his government has changed and provided security for all.

In an apparent dig at the previous Samajwadi Party government, Adityanath said, "If state capital Lucknow is getting 24-hour power supply, Mainpuri and Etawah will also get it."

Mainpuri and Etawah are considered the Samajwadi Party's strongholds.

"Discrimination in the name of caste and religion, that was common during the previous governments, has been brought to an end as it is the biggest betrayal in democracy," the chief minister told the Legislative Assembly while intervening in the second supplementary budget tabled on Wednesday.

"We have created an atmosphere that is conducive for investment and the state has emerged as the favourite destination for investors," he said, citing various works taken up in the field of infrastructure development.

On reports that potato farmers were throwing their produce on roads in the state capital, Adityanath said, "It (the reports) was an effort to give a message that government was not concerned about the potato growers, while this is the first government which has declared minimum support price for potato."

The Yogi government on Wednesday tabled Rs 8,054 crore a second supplementary budget, which was passed by the house Thursday.

Earlier, members of opposition parties including the Samajwadi Party, the BSP and Congress staged a walkout from the House over farmers' plight and expressing dissatisfaction over government's reply over an adjournment notice.

The house also witnessed an unusual moment when ruling party MLA Ashok Chandel led about a dozen members of the treasury bench to highlight issues related to Bundelkhand.