UP has moved backward under BSP rule: Advani

Kanpur: BJP leader LK Advani on Sunday claimed that while other "BIMARU" or 'sick' states had shown improvement, Uttar Pradesh has moved backward during the last five years of BSP rule.

"Earlier Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh used to come in the category of 'sick' states. Bihar and MP have come out of this due to BJP governments. We had taken Rajasthan out as well.

"But, since the last five years, Uttar Pradesh has once again taken steps towards being a sick state," he said at an election rally.

The BJP wants to bring good governance and make the state "Uttar Pradesh," which can only be possible through the voters' support, he said.

While not taking UP Chief Minister Mayawati's name, he said, "To be in politics does not mean that statues are made using government money and filling your home with money. If someone wants their statues made, then it should be through their money and not the government's."

Advani said that he had not seen such good governance between 1952 till 2009 as was witnessed under former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's government and the effect of the progress made in the IT sector at that time "can be seen till today."

"But what is unfortunate is that inspite of the biggest centre of technical education IIT-Kanpur, there has been no development in the city nor have industries been set up. Employment opportunities have not been provided and this is why after studying from the institution, students seek Bangalore, Delhi and other states for jobs."

In a lighter vein he said, "UP has such a big population and if it is made into another country then it will be on the fourth or fifth position in the world. However, it will be one where neither proper arrangements of water and electricity are there nor of roads."

On black money, he said that many small countries have ordered back illegal monies stashed in banks in Switzerland.

"Can the Indian government not call back their black money?" The aim of the BJP was to make the 21st century an Indian century in terms of progress, he said.