Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday mocked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav by quoting from the state government’s own website. “Akhilesh Yadav says his work speaks for itself...the Uttar Pradesh government website admits that life in UP is short and uncertain, and that in this respect, UP resembles Saharan Africa,” Modi said during a rally in Maharajganj district.

“I have collected the relevant pages...you cannot say they are false,” he said, adding that soon after his speech, he was certain a few state government officials would face action.

The details in question have since been taken down from the page. “The page is under updation and shall be made available soon,” it now reads.

Government of Uttar Pradesh

Under the “Health” section, the website designed and hosted by the National Informatics Centre had said females in UP are expected to live less than 55 years. “If a girl is born in Kerala, she can expect to live 20 years longer than if she is born in Uttar Pradesh,” the website had said, according to PTI. It also said that the under-five mortality rate in UP was at 141 per 1,000 – the highest in the country.

The section had also highlighted that the state had the second-highest crude death rate and the third-lowest life expectancy figure, according to the report. The website had cited a recent National Family Health survey, which had found that UP was the second among India’s major states in terms of malnourishment cases among children below the age of five, NDTV reported.

HT Photo

The last two legs of the seven-phase Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh will be held on March 4 and March 8. The results will be declared on March 11.