Lucknow: Accusing the previous Samajwadi Party govt of having run a job syndicate, where only ‘Saifai’ or ‘sifarish’ (recommendation) would help someone get employment in the state, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday called its PDA formula the ‘Pradesh Dubao Alliance’.Speaking at an event in Lucknow’s Lok Bhawan where he distributed appointment letters to 470 sportspersons under the skilled sportsperson quota in UP Police, Yogi said the BJP-led govt was committed to encouraging sports and a transparent recruitment process.“Earlier, a single family (referring to Yadav clan) had a hold on jobs and getting a job required recommendation. Today, neither recommendations nor money count in appointments. Only the athlete’s talent, hard work and sweat are being rewarded. Earlier it was the ‘Pradesh Dubao Alliance’ and now it is the NDA govt which means ‘Naukri Denge Alliance’,” the CM said.Warning the youth to be careful of SP, the CM likened it to crocodiles in the pond, giving sermons of peace when it spoke about employment. He also compared SP to liquor, warning the youth to stay away from both as they were responsible for ruining the state.Saying that Indian sportspersons had been performing much better under Narendra Modi, the CM said that PM interacts personally with athletes, looks after their facilities, and encourages athletes who perform well internationally by calling them. “India was once identified with Commonwealth Games scams, but today Indian athletes are returning with medals for the country. Similarly, the state was once identified with news of crime and lawlessness, but today UP is recognised through the medals of its skilled athletes,” he said.Highlighting the schemes and programmes introduced by his govt to promote sports in the state, Yogi said before 2017, there was no policy for direct recruitment of sportspersons in the police force. He said that for athletes who received their appointment letters on Thursday, their journey ‘from jersey to uniform’ had begun. He said that the discipline, teamwork, hard work and dedication they had shown as sportspersons would also be expected from them in uniform.Of the 470 appointed athletes, 303 are men and 167 are women. In the Constable (Civil Police) category, 295 athletes were selected, including 148 men and 147 women. Sub-Inspector (Civil Police) included 43 men and 20 women, while 132 athletes were selected as constables in PAC.He also encouraged athletes to join the campaign against drug addiction, saying they could be the biggest brand ambassadors against drugs. More than 1,400 skilled athletes have become part of UP Police and each of these athletes should be assigned a village and sent there at least one day a week to run sports activities. Just as women beat police officers visit a village one day a week, police athletes should likewise go to villages and connect young people with sports.Commenting on the reel culture among youth, the CM added: “Today’s youngsters waste hours on reels. Reels get you ‘likes’, but the playing field gives you a new life. Now they must decide whether they want only likes or real achievement in life. Today’s appointment is the beginning of a new life. Along with good performance, regular practice and building themselves up, new opportunities for promotion and advancement will also open up for the athletes.”
