In an apparent criticism of the previous Samajwadi Party government, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday alleged that the state's police recruitment process before 2017 was marred with "paper leaks" and "rampant nepotism," and claimed that people had to "conceal their identity" while migrating in search of work.
The Chief Minister made these remarks during the distribution of appointment letters to selected candidates for various clerical and confidential posts in the state police, at an event held in Lucknow. The 912 selected candidates include those recruited for the posts of Police Sub-Inspector (Confidential), Assistant Sub-Inspector (Clerk) and Assistant Sub-Inspector (Accounts).
Addressing the gathering, CM Adityanath said, "When a capable candidate is selected through a transparent recruitment examination, the process becomes a 'symbol of faith' for not only the aspirant's family but also for the public, towards the government and administration."
Reflecting on the Pre-2017 Situation
"Before 2017, we witnessed the despair and hopelessness felt by the youth and believed that change was indeed possible," he said, adding, "However, the lack of willpower to act, combined with the rampant nepotism that had gripped the entire system, meant that one could not even imagine transparency or integrity. And when the recruitment process itself is riddled with anomalies and discrimination, how can there be any trust?"
Allegations of Political Patronage
Without naming any political party, CM Adityanath claimed that as soon as a recruitment advertisement appeared before 2017, "every young person felt that the process could not be completed without political patronage or financial dealings." He added, "They would feel disheartened, wondering whom to approach or how to secure their selection," noting that questions would also arise regarding the integrity of the examination and selection process, "not to mention the separate issue of paper leaks."
A Specific Allegation Against UP Police Recruitment
"The UP Police, in particular, had a notorious reputation where one person would take the exam, while someone else would receive the results and the appointment letter," the UP CM alleged, describing what he characterised as a systemic breakdown in the integrity of the recruitment process during that period.
A New Law to Deter Paper Leaks
Adityanath said the government subsequently introduced measures to safeguard the recruitment process. "So, we thought of strengthening the process to an extent that non-deserving people cannot enter the system. We brought in a law that if someone orchestrates a paper leak in the manner of before the year 2017, then that person shall be sentenced to life imprisonment and their entire property confiscated," he said, describing this as a deliberate deterrent against the kind of malpractice he alleged had previously plagued the system.
Citing Transparent Recruitment as Evidence of Change
He asserted that transparent recruitment in the Uttar Pradesh Police over the last nine years serves as an example of the change brought to the state.
A Shift in Mindset, Not Structure
Notably, Adityanath was careful to clarify that the administrative structure of the state itself had not changed. "The state is the same. It is not as if I brought something in from elsewhere. We haven't changed anything (in terms of the structure). The posts of DGP, Home Secretary, and Chief Secretary remain exactly as they were. All Additional Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries also remain the same... Nor is it the case that I brought in extra officers from Gorakhpur or Delhi to run the state through them. It is the same state, the same workforce." According to Adityanath, it is instead the people's mindset that has undergone a shift.
An Anecdote About Identity Concealment
Recalling an anecdote shared by state Finance Minister Suresh Khanna, the CM said, "During a discussion, a senior military officer told him (Khanna) that earlier people had to hide their identity while going out of Uttar Pradesh." He expanded on this point further, saying, "This is not just the story of a single army officer. It is the story of every resident of Uttar Pradesh who had to hide their identity. When they went outside UP, they would conceal their identity," attributing this to what he described as a lack of employment opportunities in the state before 2017.
Allegations of Sustained Unrest
Adityanath went on to make broader claims about law and order conditions in the state prior to 2017. "Riots would break out every other day. Curfews would remain in place for months on end. It wasn't limited to just one place, be it Bareilly, Aligarh, or Meerut; in Muzaffarnagar, riots continued unabated for six months. The riots began at Kosi Kalan, and there wasn't a single town, district, or village in the state that remained untouched by it," he alleged, presenting these claims as further evidence of the contrast between the state's current administration and the period before it took office.
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