OPINION: What Saifai Mahotsav was for SP, Gorakhpur Mahotsav is for BJP; Where's the difference?

New Delhi: Gorakhpur Mahotsav, a three-day cultural extravaganza organised by the Uttar Pradesh government in Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Adityanath's home turf, concluded on Saturday. However, by celebrating Gorakhpur Mahotsav, Yogi government has drawn parallels with earlier Samajwadi Party government which used to celebrate Saifai Mahotsav, an event which witnessed taxpayers money going down the drain. It seems to me that in one area this present government has taken "inspiration" from past government. There was a time when BJP government used to criticise Saifai Mahotsav and now the same government has organised a three-day event! Times change, people change, situations change, thinkings change...the only thing constant is, change? Obviously, Mega Mahotsav in Gorakhpur was organised at the expense of the taxpayer. As per some reports, the Gorakhpur Mahotsav cost the treasury a whopping 1.33 crore rupees which makes me wonder what are the priorities of the Yogi government? The money could have been used more productively in the district.

गोरखपुर का महोत्सव केवल किसी एक गांव का महोत्सव न होकर पूरे गोरखपुर एवं पूर्वांचल का महोत्सव है। इस प्रकार के आयोजन प्रदेश में अन्य स्थानों पर भी किये जाएंगे और लोगों को जोड़ा जाएगा। प्रदेश के सभी सांस्कृतिक एवं आध्यात्मिक स्थानों पर उत्सव आयोजित किये जाएंगे। pic.twitter.com/nIunqSXbjb

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) January 13, 2018

However, interestingly, former CM Akhilesh Yadav feels that Yogi should have increased the budget to bring Gorakhpur Mahotsava "at par" with Saifai one.

"The Gorakhpur Mahotsava could not match up to the class of the Saifai event. I will request the chief minister to increase the budget. If he cannot even increase the budget for his native place, you can imagine what kind of a weak chief minister he is," Yadav said while adding that he has no problem with such event, reported PTI.

The SP leader said he had no problem with it as the previous government, led by him, had also held a similar event at Saifai. However, a question which is troubling me is-Is it appropriate for a government to hold an extravaganza show in a district which recently witnessed the deaths of so many children. In August 2017, the Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College had hit the headlines when 63 children, including infants, died within a span of just four days when the supply of oxygen was allegedly disrupted due to non-payment of dues to the vendor. However, the BJP led state government has vehemently denied that shortage of oxygen led to the deaths.

"There haven't been any deaths due to lack of oxygen supply. And 'only' seven children have died today. Today three deaths happened in Neonatal ICU, two due to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and two due to Non-AES," UP Medical Education Minister Ashutosh Tondon had said, reported ANI.

My point is, the Yogi government could have used the money (spent on Mahotsava) in increasing facilities in BRD medical college so that painful events like the deaths of children could have been avoided in future. It is obviously the discretion of state governments to use the money in the places they see important. But before using the hard earned money of taxpayers, the government must use its wisdom and keep in minds the sentiments of the people because at the end they are the voters who have the power to change regime. About the author: Author Anurag Kumar is an Associate Producer in ABP News Network Pvt Ltd and tweets at @AnuragSason Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not reflect the opinions, beliefs and views of ABP News Network Pvt Ltd.