Nothing can be a greater insult to the name of Jayaprakash Narayan; looting public money will not be allowed: Chief Minister
CM Yogi, along with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, inaugurated the grand statue of Veerangana Avantibai Lodhi and also paid floral tributes
SP is dividing society in the name of caste; ‘Hum batenge nahin, to katenge bhi nahin’: CM Yogi
CM said: Dangon ki baadshah hai SP, curfew uski pehchaan aur sarkari khazane mein loot-khasot uski aadat
Three women PAC battalions constituted in the names of Veeranganas in Lucknow, Gorakhpur and Badaun
Lucknow, August 2026 : Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “The Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) built in Lucknow is a living monument to the corruption of the Samajwadi Party. SP had turned it into something like a base for its private limited company. There can be no greater insult to the name of a great personality. The state government is working on a policy of zero tolerance not only against crime and criminals but also against dishonesty and corruption.”
The Chief Minister was addressing a gathering on Sunday after inaugurating the grand statue of Veerangana Avantibai Lodhi along with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. He said, “This project, started during the SP government in the name of Jayaprakash Narayan, who dedicated his entire life to the protection of democracy, was estimated to cost Rs 200 crore. However, despite spending Rs 864 crore, it remained incomplete. A project that was supposed to be completed in 18 months was still unfinished even after two years. To retain SP’s control over the Centre, a committee was constituted that included Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav, Dharmendra Yadav, Akhilesh’s private secretary, and SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary.”
CM Yogi remarked, “The Rs 864 crore spent on JPNIC does not belong to the Saifai Syndicate; it belongs to the people of Uttar Pradesh. No political party can be allowed to rob public money. The government has dissolved the committee and taken back the Centre. It will now be operated under the guidance of the Lucknow Development Authority, and the memory of Jayaprakash Narayan will be kept alive. At the same time, efforts will be made to recover the money spent from the state treasury. Those from whose hands the government has wrested control of the treasury are now engaging in baseless rants.”
The Chief Minister stated, “The people of SP, who are dividing society in the name of PDA, never even respected great personalities. When former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh passed away, not a single word of tribute came from SP leaders, nor did they post even one tweet.” He added, “Dangon ki baadshah hai SP, curfew uski pehchaan aur sarkari khazane mein loot-khasot uski aadat.”
The Chief Minister pointed out, “The occupation of vacant land by SP-backed goons and an atmosphere of fear among women and daughters were the biggest hallmarks of the previous government.”
CM Yogi highlighted, “Today, the BJP’s double-engine government is continuously working to empower Matrushakti. Mission Shakti, launched under the guidance of the Prime Minister, is a campaign related to the safety, respect, dignity and self-reliance of women. When a daughter receives security, a sense of protection develops within her. When she receives respect, she determines the direction of her own life. And when she gets opportunities for self-reliance, she leaves no stone unturned in turning her pace into progress. The transformation visible today in every sphere of life is the result of this empowerment. We have emerged from the BIMARU image and become the growth engine of the nation’s economy.”
The Chief Minister further said, “The Rashtriya Prerna Sthal in Lucknow is dedicated to the memory of the revered Atal Bihari Vajpayee and was inaugurated by Modi Ji. The statues of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee here inspire national unity, Antyodaya and good governance. Similarly, the grand equestrian statue of Veerangana Avantibai Lodhi will inspire the people of the country as a symbol of the dignity, valour and brilliance of Indian womanhood.”
He added, “Only a good government performs good work. During the SP government, attempts were made to dismantle the PAC, which had become the nemesis of rioters. The BJP government reorganised all 54 companies of the PAC. It was also decided that daughters would play leadership roles in the PAC. Accordingly, three women battalions have been constituted in the state in the names of Veeranganas Uda Devi, Jhalkari Bai and Avantibai Lodhi. Of these, one is in Lucknow, another in Gorakhpur, and the third in Badaun, where construction is in its final stage.”
The Chief Minister informed, “Scooters will be provided in the name of Rani Lakshmibai to 50,000 daughters in the final year of graduation. On August 27, 28 and 29, every daughter, sister and mother was given the facility of free travel in Transport Corporation and city bus services. Now, free travel in Corporation buses has also been started for every woman above 60 years of age.”
CM Yogi remarked, “The life of Veerangana Avantibai Lodhi is a symbol of the nation’s freedom and the indomitable courage of woman power. At the age of just 26, Avantibai Lodhi shook the foundations of British rule while leading the First War of Independence. The spark ignited by Mangal Pandey in Barrackpore was carried forward by Rani Lakshmibai in Jhansi. Under the leadership of Dhan Singh Gurjar Kotwal in Meerut, this struggle expanded further. Between Jhansi and Gwalior, Veerangana Avantibai Lodhi led this very struggle. Her life inspires us to remain united. If we do not divide, we will not be cut apart either.”
The Chief Minister said, “In honour of Veerangana Avantibai Lodhi, the then Chief Minister Kalyan Singh ‘Babuji’ had installed her equestrian statue in front of the Vidhan Bhavan. A stadium is also being constructed in Aligarh in her name. In honour of Amar Shaheed Gulab Singh Lodhi, who hoisted the Tricolour in Lucknow during the Quit India Movement of 1942, the Police Training College in Unnao has been named after him. A medical college has been built in Bulandshahr in memory of Kalyan Singh. The cancer institute in Lucknow has also been named after Babuji, and his grand statue has been installed there.”
CM Yogi expressed gratitude to the organisers of the programme held under the aegis of the Kshatriya Lodhi Mahasabha and appealed for strengthening social unity and carrying forward the ideals of great personalities. He stated, “Veerangana Avantibai Lodhi, Amar Shaheed Gulab Singh Lodhi and the revered Babuji Kalyan Singh worked not only to strengthen social unity but also to strengthen the nation. Collective efforts will have to be made so that the spirit of reverence and respect for these great personalities remains alive in future generations as well.” On this occasion, the Chief Minister extended advance greetings to everyone on Shri Krishna Janmashtami.
Union Minister B.L. Verma, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, State Cabinet Minister Dharampal Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Basic Education Sandeep Singh, Lucknow Mayor Sushma Kharkwal, BJP office-bearers, representatives of the Lodhi Mahasabha, MLAs and a large number of members of society were present at the programme.
