Lucknow: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) built in Lucknow is a living monument of corruption under Samajwadi Party govt and added that the party turned the centre into a base for its private limited company.“There can be no greater insult to the name of a great personality like Jayaprakash Narayan. Dedicated to Jayaprakash Narayan, a leader who gave his life to public service, the original budget estimate for the project was pegged around Rs 200 crore. Despite spending Rs 864 crore, the project could not be finished,” the CM said, addressing the crowd during the inauguration of the statue of Veerangana Avantibai Lodhi.“To keep the project in their personal possession, a committee was constituted which had SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, his wife Dimple, Dharmendra Yadav and Rajendra Chaudhary as members,” said Yogi.“Dangon ki baadshah hai SP, curfew uski pehchaan aur sarkari khazane mein loot-khasot uski aadat,” he said.Yogi accused SP of robbing public money. “Funds spent on the project belonged to the people of Uttar Pradesh and not to the ‘Saifai syndicate’. The BJP govt dissolved the committee, taken back control of JPNIC and placed it under the Lucknow Development Authority,” he said.BJP govt would continue to preserve the legacy of Jayaprakash Narayan.Yogi said BJP govt was following the policy of zero tolerance towards crime and corruption. He added that Akhilesh govt did not respect prominent personalities and held the previous govt accountable for encouraging lawlessness, land grabbing and insecurity among women.Highlighting BJP govt’s initiatives for women, Yogi said Mission Shakti was aimed at ensuring women’s safety, dignity and self-reliance.“When women receive security and opportunities, they contribute significantly to social and economic progress,” he said.Yogi also announced that scooters would be provided to 50,000 girl students in the final year of graduation under the Rani Lakshmibai Scheme. “Free bus travel facility has been extended to women above 60,” he said.Paying tribute to Veerangana Avantibai Lodhi, Yogi described her as a symbol of courage, patriotism and women empowerment.“Despite being young, she played a significant role during the first war of Independence and inspired resistance against the British rule,” Yogi said.He highlighted the state govt’s efforts to honour historical figures through memorials, statues and institutions named after them. He called for strengthening social unity and preserving the legacy of national heroes for future generations.Reminding people about the treatment meted out to former CM Kalyan Singh, a Lodh leader, Yogi said that the opposition refrained from offering condolence when Singh passed away.
