UP to be 'engine' of developed India: Home Minister Amit Shah

Lucknow: Describing Uttar Pradesh as the "soul" of the country, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the state is poised to emerge as the engine of a developed India by 2047, when the nation will celebrate 100 years of its Independence.

Addressing a gathering at the state-level Uttar Pradesh Day celebrations held at Rashtra Prerna Sthal here, Shah took a swipe at non-BJP governments, saying they had kept Uttar Pradesh backward for decades, branding it a 'BIMARU' state, while the BJP government has transformed it into a "breakthrough state".

Shah asserted that the state occupies a central place in the nation's progress and will be fully developed by 2047.

"Uttar Pradesh is the heartbeat of India, and in other words, Uttar Pradesh is also the soul of India. And I can certainly see that Uttar Pradesh is going to become the engine of India's development, the engine of a developed India," he said on the state's foundation day.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision, Shah said the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government are working in tandem to achieve the goal of a developed nation and a developed state.

"Prime Minister Modi has made a pledge to build a developed India, and under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, our double-engine government has also pledged to build a developed Uttar Pradesh" he said.

The Union Home Minister said, "We all reiterate this pledge today that when the centenary of independence is celebrated on August 15, 2047, Uttar Pradesh will be a fully developed state and an important state of a developed India."

Shah was accompanied by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The Union Home Minister said there has been a historic improvement in the law and order situation under the BJP government, which has helped attract investment and accelerate development.

Appealing to voters, the Union Home Minister urged people to rise above caste and support the BJP over dynastic parties.