Uttar Pradesh. New UP. Development. Law and order. Expressways. That's the slogan. But the real news tells a very different story. Here are 5 headlines that will make you question "New UP."
1. The Expressway That Cut Through 50 Villages — No Compensation Paid
A new expressway in UP was built. It cut through 50 villages. Farmers lost land. Many haven't received compensation. Some are still waiting after 3 years.
The expressway is smooth. The farmers' lives are not.
UP's crime statistics show improvement. Less murder. Less theft. But a police officer said: "Many cases never get filed. People are too scared to complain." The drop is in filing. Not in crime. UP built toilets in every school. The prime minister celebrated. But a school in UP has 3 toilets and 0 teachers. Children come. No one teaches. Toilets don't teach math. UP achieved 100% electrification. Every village has power. But a village in UP has lights and no jobs. Young men sit under streetlights. Doing nothing. Lights don't fill stomachs. Young people are leaving UP. To Mumbai. To Delhi. To Punjab. One young man refused. He started a dairy farm. Now he employs 10 people. None of them migrate. He says: "Don't leave UP. Build UP." UP has expressways. But farmers are unpaid. UP has lower crime statistics. But cases go unfiled. UP has toilets. But no teachers. UP has electricity. But no jobs. And one young man is trying to build a dairy farm. New UP? Not yet.
2. The Law and Order Statistic That Looks Good — The Cases That Never Get Filed
3. The School That Has Toilets — But No Teachers
4. The Village That Has Electricity — But No Jobs
5. The Young Man Who Refused to Migrate — Started a Dairy Farm
Is "New UP" Really New?