One cannot be too sure about what the priest cum CM of Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath is up to. Misconceptions about his religious intolerance and obscurantism remain but on the face of it his dynamism seems to be a rationalist approach. The target is claimed to be development. The crackdown on illegal slaughterhouses appears to be highly controversial as meat sellers in the state are on strike. That in Lucknow is a blow to the city’s kebab-biriyani culture. But on second thoughts, the clampdown could be considered welcome as the abattoirs function in dense market places and in unhygienic conditions. The CM made it clear that his policy was not an attack on eating habits or any religious community. The UP government has promised to provide alternative employment to lakhs of people who will be rendered jobless as a result of the ban. The Rs 50,000 crore meat industry of the state will now be regulated and modern practices will be introduced in it. On the other hand, there are still doubts about possible harassment of legal units. It is also strange that only BJP-ruled Jharkhand has been prompt in taking the cue from UP. That leads to the suspicion that BJP governments with Adityanath in the forefront are out to target Muslims who predominantly run the meat trade.
What cannot be faulted is Yogi’s biometric checks on attendance of government employees and is giving 60 officers the golden handshake as they had reached the retirement age long ago. Bureaucratic sloth is a curse in every Indian state. It may however be unrealistic for the CM to ask the people of UP to work 20 hours a day. Surely, he does not want them to fall ill. Good governance necessitates elimination of violence and intimidation against responsible citizens and the creation of a climate of debate and discussion. Women’s safety should be ensured but not by prohibiting free and healthy mixing of men and women.