Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday, 20 September distributed appointment letters to 912 selected candidates for clerical and confidential posts in the state police at an event in Lucknow, using the occasion to launch a sharp attack on what he described as the rampant corruption and nepotism that he alleged had crippled police recruitments before 2017.

What Adityanath Alleged About Pre-2017 Recruitments

Addressing the gathering, CM Adityanath alleged that before 2017 — when the Samajwadi Party (SP) was in power — the UP Police recruitment process had a 'notorious reputation' where, in his words, 'one person would take the exam, while someone else would receive the results and the appointment letter.' He did not name any individual or party directly but the target of his remarks was unmistakable.

He further claimed that paper leaks were a near-routine occurrence and that 'every young person felt that the process could not be completed without political patronage or financial dealings.' According to Adityanath, aspirants would feel 'disheartened, wondering whom to approach or how to secure their selection.'

'When the recruitment process itself is riddled with anomalies and discrimination, how can there be any trust?' he asked the audience.

The 912 Candidates and What They Were Recruited For

The candidates receiving appointment letters on Sunday had been selected for the posts of Police Sub-Inspector (Confidential), Assistant Sub-Inspector (Clerk), and Assistant Sub-Inspector (Accounts). Adityanath framed transparent recruitment as a 'symbol of faith' — for the aspirant's family, and for the broader public's trust in the government and administration.

Law Against Paper Leaks and the Mindset Shift

The Chief Minister highlighted a law enacted by his government under which orchestrating a paper leak can now result in life imprisonment and full confiscation of property — a direct response, he said, to the alleged malpractices of the earlier era.

Adityanath also drew on an anecdote shared by state Finance Minister Suresh Khanna, who had reportedly been told by a senior military officer that residents of Uttar Pradesh once had to 'hide their identity' when they left the state — a reference, the CM said, to the alleged lack of employment and law-and-order failures before 2017. 'This is not just the story of a single army officer. It is the story of every resident of Uttar Pradesh,' he said.

Law and Order Claims and Political Context

Adityanath also alleged that frequent communal riots had plagued the state before 2017, citing Bareilly, Aligarh, Meerut, and Muzaffarnagar — where he claimed riots continued 'unabated for six months.' These are contested claims; the SP and opposition leaders have consistently disputed the characterisation of that period.

Notably, Adityanath was at pains to clarify that no structural overhaul of the bureaucracy had taken place under his watch — 'The posts of DGP, Home Secretary, and Chief Secretary remain exactly as they were' — attributing the improvement solely to a shift in the 'people's mindset.' With assembly elections on the horizon, remarks of this nature are widely read as part of the BJP's broader political messaging in Uttar Pradesh.

The government is expected to continue phased recruitment drives across state departments in the months ahead.