Lucknow, Oct 17: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday took a jibe at the previous Samajwadi Party (SP) government in the state, saying that the SP and education are like the “two banks of a river who can never meet”.

The Chief Minister was addressing the Teachers’ and Graduates’ Conference in Lucknow.

Attacking the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party, CM Adityanath said: “The ‘Saifai Syndicate’ used to undermine the recruitment process and create an identity crisis (for the youth). People from Uttar Pradesh were even refused rooms in hotels for being associated with the state.”

“During the ongoing Sharadiya Navratri, various events are taking place. Durga Pujas are being organised, Ramlilas are being performed, and there is an atmosphere of celebration today, but before 2017 there used to be chaos and unrest,” he alleged.

Alleging that curfew and riots had become a part of the state, CM Adityanath said mothers used to be concerned about their daughters’ safety till they returned home from school.

“Today, there is celebration, not unrest. Daughters are safe; and should anyone dare to compromise their safety, the police have the perfect ‘remedy’ waiting at the very next street corner,” he remarked.

“An atmosphere of security has paved the way for investment, which consequently led to employment opportunities. We have provided government jobs to 9.5 lakh youths, while another 65 lakh youths have secured employment through investments in the private sector,” he added.

The Uttar Pradesh CM asserted that no one can raise a question about a single recruitment that has taken place in the past nine-and-a-half years, under the Bharatiya Janata Party-led double-engine government.

“There is complete transparency, fairness and honesty. A spirit of honouring the talent of Uttar Pradesh’s youth is evident,” he said.

CM Adityanath remarked: “The Samajwadi Party and education are like the two banks of a river—they can never meet!”

Likening the SP to that of a crocodile, the Chief Minister said: “If they (SP) claim they want to do something for education, it is akin to a crocodile coming to the riverbank and saying, ‘Climb onto my back; I will carry you safely to the other side’. That is precisely the situation with the ‘Samajwadis’—they are enemies of education who cannot be trusted.”

“They (SP) are the ones who created an identity crisis for the youth and have wreaked havoc on the education system,” he said while emphasising that crisis in the education sector means crisis for the society and the country.

“SP’s goons used to take over the educational institutions. The (SP government) did nothing for the benefit of teachers, since education and youth were never on their agenda. In contrast, we have provided free cashless medical treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh per family every year to teachers and education staff (in Uttar Pradesh),” CM Adityanath added.

The Chief Minister also asserted: “Today, Uttar Pradesh is not in need of identity, instead those who created an identity crisis for the state are the very ones now struggling for an identity of their own.”

London, Oct 17: A tanker has reportedly been attacked 78 nautical miles northeast of Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Saturday.

The master of the tanker reported being attacked by a rocket-propelled grenade from a small boat, resulting in damage to the aft port quarter, according to the UKMTO.

Crew are accounted for and reported safe, and a complete damage assessment and environmental impact are unknown, said the UKMTO.

Earlier this week, Yemen’s Houthi group said that it had launched a large-scale missile and drone attack targeting an airport and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. It also vowed to continue strikes against Saudi targets in the coming days.

In a statement broadcast by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the group targeted Saudi energy giant Aramco in Dhahran in the Eastern Province, as well as King Khalid International Airport and an Aramco refinery in Riyadh.

According to Sarea, the operation involved “a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones,” which accurately hit their targets, causing damage and fires.

The Houthi spokesperson said the operation was carried out in retaliation for Saudi Arabia-led strikes on the Houthi-held capital of Sanaa and other areas under the group’s control. He said Saudi-led forces had carried out 2,281 air and missile strikes since the latest escalation began, Xinhua news agency reported.

Sarea vowed that the group’s attacks “deep inside Saudi Arabia” would continue in the coming days, targeting airports and oil facilities. He also renewed a warning to international airlines, civilians and employees to stay away from airports and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia that the group had designated as targets.

The Houthi claim came after the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said it intercepted six Houthi missiles and three drones heading towards Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. An Aramco administrative building in Dhahran was targeted Tuesday evening, sparking a limited fire, while debris from two cruise missiles intercepted over Riyadh injured four people and damaged 15 homes, Saudi authorities said Wednesday.

Singrauli, Oct 17: Mild earthquake tremors were felt in the Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said.

According to preliminary data, the intensity of the earthquake was measured at 3.5 on the Richter scale.

The epicentre was located at a depth of around 10 km below the surface, officials added.

The tremor was recorded on Saturday at 2:12 p.m.

Officials monitoring seismic activity confirmed that the quake had an intensity of 3.5, with the focus situated around 10 km beneath the earth’s surface.

The information is based on initial readings and remains subject to further verification by scientific agencies.

Residents in parts of Singrauli reported feeling the mild shaking during the afternoon hours.

While the intensity was relatively low, the sudden tremor caused momentary concern among people in the affected areas.

No immediate reports of damage to buildings or injuries have been received so far.

Earthquake monitoring agencies are examining the preliminary data to determine the exact location of the epicentre and assess any aftershock possibilities.

A magnitude of 3.5 is generally classified as a light earthquake, which is often felt by people nearby but rarely causes significant structural damage, especially when the focus is at a moderate depth of around 10 km.

Authorities in Singrauli have advised the public to remain calm and follow standard safety guidelines in case of any further seismic activity.

Local administration is closely tracking the situation and is in coordination with relevant scientific bodies for updated information.

This is not the first time the region has experienced mild seismic activity, though such events of low intensity usually pass without major incident.

Experts note that earthquakes of this magnitude are relatively common in various parts of the country and typically do not pose a serious threat when the depth is around 10 km.

Further details are awaited as agencies continue to analyse the complete data set.