The Founder of Jan Ki Baat interviewed Shantanu Gupta, the author of Uttar Pradesh Vikas ki Pratiksha Mein, and Alok Pratap Singh, a political expert. When asked about the rumours that allege the SP of orchestrating their family dispute, Gupta and Singh spoke about Shivpal Singh Yadavs abilities of guiding the party before the internal clash. The dispute couldve been managed easily if one intended to do so. On schooling and education, Gupta believes that the data is quite shocking as less than 50% of class 2 students that perform basic mathematical operations and even lesser students of class 5 can read a class 2 text. The anti-cheating law becomes quite necessary; the last successful government in UP was the BJPs and Mulayam Singh Yadav has indirectly, sort-of, endorsed cheating over merit. Education is extremely significant as knowledge is power but power can be misused if correct education isnt supplied, says Gupta. Under Mayawati and SP, the medical data, the IMR, birth rate etc. have all suffered. Aside from the data, rapes, riots have been evidences enough of SPs misrule. Noida, a region in UP, is known as the emerging centre but that is only because of its proximity to Delhi; SP has contributed nothing to the region. Quite populous, Noida still does not have its municipal corporation. Gupta also claims that there might be organized rackets designed as a hindrance to the BJP. The SPs infrastructural achievements are flawed as the 160 km expressway Akhilesh Yadav says to have built is a massive problem for the commuters. Yadavs promise of electricity 24×7, too, seems too good to be true. His yojnas are flawed; another example is the faulty laptops Yadav distributed. There actually exists an RTI on the number of laptop ordered and those that were actually distributed. The duo also talk about the Central governments attempts to solve the problem for rikshawpullers, something that the State government hasnt reciprocated. Pensions, too, are quite small in amount. Therefore, the 300+ seats dream of SP seems too ambitious, almost an illusion.
ttar Pradesh Elections 2017 are soon becoming a source for redemption; not only for the BSP but also for the Congress, which is banking on its before-scams image. Congress has already formed a pre-poll alliance with the Samajwadi Party. The BJP, too, would welcome a win in UP as a public validation of its two and half year rule at the Centre. UPs 403 seat assembly will open itself as a battleground for many political leaders.
A point that Gupta referred to must be noted: the demographical dividend of UP is quite unique and its current utilization amounts to nothing but a wastage of human capital; 16.5% is UPs contribution to the national population whereas 7.5% is its contribution to the national GDP.
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