Opinion: Kasari-Masari – Mantra Of Good Governance On The Ruins Of Crime

The name of any place is not merely a lifeless collection of a few letters. Rather, it is a living reflection of the region's identity, its history, its cultural consciousness, and the collective psychology of its residents. When the fear, terror, and crime of a particular era become associated with a place's name, that name itself becomes a curse. It would be inappropriate to view the recent announcement by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to rename the Kasari-Masari area of Prayagraj as 'Krishnapuri' from an ordinary administrative perspective. This announcement marks the end of a long, terrifying chapter in which mafias, nurtured under the protection of those in power, came to regard the state's law and order as their personal fiefdom.

For decades, the Kasari-Masari area of Prayagraj remained synonymous with a particular kind of terror. Ordinary citizens shuddered while passing through, and even the police administration thought several times before setting foot there. The area had witnessed the reign of fear created by notorious mafia figure Atiq Ahmed. When CM Yogi Adityanath announced that Kasari-Masari would be renamed 'Krishnapuri' and performed 'Bhoomi Pujan' for constructing flats for the poor on land encroached upon by Atiq, he conveyed several messages at once. In Indian philosophy and mythology, Lord Krishna has long been regarded as the destroyer of injustice, oppression, and the demonic forces represented by Kansa. Symbolically, naming a stronghold of terror like Kasari-Masari 'Krishnapuri' establishes that these modern-day 'Kans' have met their end and that the rule of dharma, justice and law will now prevail here. It is an innovative initiative to psychologically free people of the area from centuries-old fear in their own homes.

To understand this narrative, we need to take a deeper look at CM Yogi Adityanath's style of functioning and 'new grammar of good governance' being shaped by him. This grammar is not limited to sending criminals to jail or using bulldozers to demolish their illegal constructions. Yogi Adityanath has presented a 'model' of justice and good governance that may be unique in the democratic history of independent India. A living example of this can be seen in Prayagraj's Lukerganj area itself. At one time, mafia figure Atiq Ahmed had built an illegal empire and taken control of land in Lukerganj, so nobody dared even look in that direction. Under the Yogi government, the mafia's encroachment on that very land was demolished, and magnificent flats were built there for the poor under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. CM himself handed over the keys of these flats to beneficiaries. A similar message was delivered in the state capital, Lucknow. The illegally occupied land worth crores belonging to mafia figure Mukhtar Ansari, whose name once brought silence to the corridors of power, was freed from encroachment in Lucknow, where houses are also being constructed for the poor and Dalits.

The construction of homes for the poor on Atiq's land in Lukerganj, flats for the poor on Mukhtar's land in Lucknow, and now the 'Bhoomi Pujan' in Kasari-Masari, along with its renaming as 'Krishnapuri', are not three separate incidents. They are important components of a single, well-conceived administrative strategy. Their implications are deep and far-reaching. The first implication is that the government is sending the message that it is not merely taking land from criminals but also returning that property to the most disadvantaged and deprived sections of society, its rightful beneficiaries.

The second major implication is that mafias want society to regard them as being above the law. When government reduces their illegal empires to rubble and settles poor people there, it permanently buries the mafias' 'prestige and authority'. When future generations see these flats in Lukerganj or Lucknow, they will not remember any mafia's fear. Instead, they will remember that a government came to power and established the rule of law.

This is not the first time Yogi Adityanath has attempted to convey cultural and political messages through names. His journey on this path is long-standing and rooted in a clear ideological commitment. Renaming Allahabad as Prayagraj, Faizabad as Ayodhya, and Mughalsarai station after Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya were all efforts to restore Uttar Pradesh's original cultural identity and erase symbols of subjugation under colonial powers and invaders. However, renaming Kasari-Masari as Krishnapuri goes a step further. Earlier renamings were historical and cultural corrections, whereas this renaming symbolises a 'contemporary social liberation'. It is not merely about correcting history but about freeing the present from fear and securing the future.

Perception holds immense importance in politics. There was a time when UP was identified across the country and around the world as a 'BIMARU' state and a haven for crime. From films to literature, UP was portrayed as a state of mafias, strongmen and country-made pistols. Investors had turned away from the state, and ordinary young people were compelled to migrate. In such circumstances, when the head of the state himself stands at the forefront and sends the message that there is no place for criminals in this state, the impact is felt across every section of society. Mafias such as Atiq and Mukhtar were not merely individuals. They were symbols of a corrupt system that had forced politics, the police and the administration to bow before them. The dismantling of these symbols and the emergence in their place of symbols of faith and development, such as 'Krishnapuri', prove that a new work culture has now taken root in the state, one that leaves no room for appeasement or brute force.

About the Author: Harishankar Mishra is a Senior Journalist. With decades of experience in mainstream media, his reporting focuses on political analysis, current affairs, and socio-economic issues.

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