Driving ₹2.5 crore car, stealing ₹45 flower pot: CM Yogi warns against damaging public property

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday took a sharp swipe at people damaging public property, citing an incident in which a person allegedly arrived in a ₹2.5 crore car to steal a flower pot worth ₹45.

Speaking at an event in Lucknow, Yogi said the government would not allow public property to be damaged and stressed that development funds belonged to citizens.

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"We will not allow damage to government property. Otherwise, what happens? We install flower pots, and someone comes in a car and takes away the pot," the chief minister said.

"Now think about it - such an expensive car is used just to steal a flower pot. The fuel used in the car itself could have bought a new pot," he added.

Yogi said CCTV cameras installed across the city helped authorities track the incident.

"Such an expensive vehicle - around a ₹2.5 crore car - and yet CCTV cameras are installed everywhere now. We keep monitoring through them, and it was found that someone used that expensive car to steal a pot worth just ₹45," he said.

"With that effort, they could have easily bought a new pot worth ₹45, kept it at home, maintained dignity, and also made the city look better," he added. "At one point, I even felt like putting his photograph up at a public square."

The chief minister said public money must be used carefully and only for public welfare. "Because the money we spend is not being given by me, nor is the Finance Minister giving it from her own pocket… This is the money of the people, and we are only ensuring its proper planning and use," Yogi said.

He made the remarks while inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for 342 development projects worth ₹413 crore at a programme held at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Lucknow.

The chief minister also released a booklet titled 'Swachh-Sundar-Samarth Lucknow'.

Yogi said the BJP-led municipal corporations in Uttar Pradesh had created new benchmarks in development and cleanliness over the last three years.

"For the first time in the history of Uttar Pradesh, elections were held in 17 municipal corporations, and people gave all 17 municipal corporation seats to the Bharatiya Janata Party," he said.

Referring to the Swachh Survekshan rankings, Yogi said Lucknow Municipal Corporation had secured the third position nationally and urged citizens to help the city reach the top spot.

"Today, the result is that Lucknow Municipal Corporation has secured the third position in the country in the cleanliness ranking. This is a major achievement in itself. But now it has to be taken to number one," he said.

The chief minister appealed to people to separate wet and dry waste, avoid single-use plastic and protect public infrastructure. 

Targeting previous governments, Yogi said earlier regimes had left behind potholes, corruption and poor governance, while the current government was focusing on development and ease of living.