By the Editor: Siddharth Sehgal

I was in an auto rickshaw and often their drivers carry some of the best information on the ground that you’ll not find in most awarded news channels, so it happened as it happens most of the time that conversation turned to politics and it turned out that this good fellow is also from the state of Uttar Pradesh, he was beaming with happiness over the fact that the monk from Gorakhpur is at the helm of power in UP and why not, in just a single week the mahant of Gorakhnath dham has proved that governance is very much his cup of tea.

From closing illegal slaughter houses to punishing molesters, eve teasers and harassers who prey upon unsuspecting girls and ladies, yogi Adityanath has outdone his predecessors Akhilesh and Mayawati and given the pace with which he is going, the UP of next legislative elections will be very different from UP of today. Biggest surprise and in a way amusing is watching the bureaucracy gasp for breath in effort to keep up with new administration. The police are acting on reports, criminals are being booked, babus are coming on time, offices are being cleansed of tobacco and paan (betel leaf) stains. He personally went to meet the Raebareli rape victim and checked with the doctors about her health and treatment. Within 24 hours of this meeting the culprits were seized and three policemen were suspended for the reason of negligence at work. After decades, literally decades, there is a sense that change is in the air.

A lot of people questioned the BJP’s choice of CM, some pointed to his image of firebrand Hindu leader and others at lack of experience but for the uninitiated, they should look at Yogi’s work in Gorakhpur. The city that was infamous for mafia and crime has rid itself of its past. Yogi regularly holds Janta Darpar (Public Meeting) at his office and listens to concerns and complaints of any and everyone who come to him, in his petitioners there are businessmen, sweepers, doctors, students, Hindus, Sikhs and even Muslims whose plights have been heard and resolved. There are Muslim workers in the Gorakhnath Dham who contribute to workings of ashram and temple like any other employee.  The minority community was never mistreated and the people actually feel a connection with their chosen representative.

All objections and New York Times editorial aside, UP needed a strong decisive leader and it has found one in Yogi Adityanath. Let’s hope that good work of a week will continue over the next five years and the Ram Janmabhoomi dispute will be resolved under his tenure.