Uttar Pradesh

"Both men and women, whom we met on the road, I thought decidedly taller, fairer, and finer people than the Bengalees. Some of the Sepoys, indeed, of a regiment who passed us, were of complexions so little darker than those of Europe, that as they approached I really at first took them for Europeans. Every thing seems to assimilate gradually to the scenes and habits of the eastern and southern parts of Europe. The people no longer talk of their daily rice, but say “it is time to eat bread to-day.” Instead of the softness and gentleness so apparent in those Indians whom we first saw, these men have a proud step, a stern eye, and a rough loud voice, such as might be expected from people living almost always in the open air, and in a country where, till its acquisition by the English, no man was sure that he might not at any moment be compelled to fight for his life or property. Much of this necessity is passed away, but something, yet remains."

"In the 80's Ashish Bose had coined the term BiMaRU, for the four states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, owing to their abysmal socio-economic indicators. Since then Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have catapulted themselves out of the status of being diseased or BiMaRU. Bihar seemed right on track once, to come out of it, but now looks trapped again in the chakravyuh of kidnapping, nepotism and failed law and order with the re-entry of Lalu Prasad Yadav in Bihar politics. The state of Uttar Pradesh was, however, still screaming for development and the SP & BSP have failed miserably to live up to the mandate of the people of Uttar Pradesh for the last 15 years. Even without access to all these macro data and facts, the people of Uttar Pradesh daily lived and observed the pathetic condition of their state. They heard 'Kam Bolta Hai' rhetoric in Akhilesh Yadav's rallies, but while going back home from the rally, they faced bad roads, bad traffic, lawlessness, lack of electricity in their houses, corruption in the process for government jobs selection and no future for their children. It is evident that when the people of Uttar Pradesh voted for BJP, they have voted for aspirations, for a better future for their children and for a prosperous Uttar Pradesh. New Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has huge expectations to fulfill."