Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday vowed to return "every single paisa" of the state power firm employees' provident fund after confiscating properties of those behind the scam of investing the money in tainted DHFL.
"We will not let the interest of any employee be harmed. The properties of all those involved in this scam will be confiscated and every single paisa of each and every employee will be returned," the chief minister said.
Adityanath made the promise while addressing a special session of the state legislative council, convened to mark 70 years of the adoption of the Constitution.
"No one will be allowed to go scot free. The government has said it and will do it," he asserted.
Talking about the former managing director of the UP Power Corporation Limited arrested for his alleged role in the scam, Aditynath said, "The mastermind of the PF scam was a favourite officer of the previous (SP) government. Our government has put him behind bars."
He said "there is zero tolerance for the crime and corruption" in the state.
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Referring to Article 370, Adityanath said, "At that time (when the Constitution was being drafted) Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar had expressed his opposition to Article 370. He had said it will act as a poison for Kashmir, and boost separatism. However, the government at that point of time did not pay any attention to it. Over the years, the situation in Kashmir continued to change, and a large section of Kashmiri was forced to undertake exodus from there. It virtually became a hub of terrorism."
"None of the Indian laws were applicable in Kashmir. Shyama Prasad Mookerjee launched a movement and had to sacrifice his life, but no one showed the courage to abrogate Article 370. At this point of time, I would also remember Sardar Vallabhai Patel, as he played an important role in integrating 563 kingdoms with India," he said.
"Patel had said no one has the courage to abrogate Article 370, but only the person who has the courage, will be only able to abrogate it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home minister Amit Shah proved it by abrogating Article 370. By scrapping Article 35A, every law of India will be applicable in Kashmir. Every resident of Jammu and Kashmir will have the right to avail facilities like any other citizen in the country, and in the same way people living in other parts of the country will also enjoy the same rights as enjoyed by residents of Kashmir," Adityanath said.
Article 35A, which was incorporated in the Constitution by a 1954 Presidential Order, accords special rights and privileges to the Jammu and Kashmir citizens and denies property rights to a Kashmiri woman who marries a person from outside the state.
"People of Laddakh are moving ahead with a new energy. Pakistan which was shouting (over this development) has been globally isolated. This is the biggest diplomatic victory of India at the global stage after Independence. Union Home minister has said not only Jammu and Kashmir, but PoK is also a part of India. The seats meant for representatives from PoK are still vacant in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. India will take it back," the UP chief minister said.
The schemes which are being planned for the development of Jammu and Kashmir, will fulfil the objective of making Jammu and Kashmir the heaven of India, he said.
He also said 2019 will be an important year for the state.
Referring to the 2019 Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj, Adityanath said over 25 crore devotees took dip during the mega event.
The Kumbh won global accolades for cleanliness and security, he said, adding after hundreds of years Akshayvat and Saraswati Koop was opened for the public.
"Those who raised questions on law and order, Kumbh has given an answer to them," he said, adding that Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas was organised in Varanasi.
He also claimed that the 2019 Lok Sabha polls were held successfully in the state.
On the Supreme Court judgement in the Ayodhya case, Adityanath said, "People accepted the judgement of the Supreme Court. This is the strength of India's judiciary and its democracy. At some point of time, some people had shattered it to get votes.
"The peace and brotherhood after the judgement proves that every citizen of India believes in peace and amity, provided that he is not made a victim of appeasement through the votebank politics."
In the beginning of his speech, Adityanath said, "Today is a golden-letter day in the annals of the UP legislature. Four words -- 'nyaay' (justice), 'swatantrata' (liberty), 'samta' (equality) and 'bandhtva' (fraternity) represent the basic spirit of the Constitution. The Constitution gives right to the people to think and work for the country despite coming from different background."
Democracy is deeply ingrained in the mind of our countrymen, and India is one of the oldest civilisations in the world, he said.
"Unity in diversity is the strength of the Constitution of India. It has the strength to link the northern part of the country with its southern part, and the eastern part with the western one," Adityanath said.
He also listed various achievements of the state government.
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