LUCKNOW: India’s largest-ever police recruitment drive in UP to hire 60,244 constables, 12,048 of them women, goes beyond staggering numbers to restore public faith in the transparency of the selection process, establish inclusivity, and build on the state’s transition from a legacy of lawlessness to “robust” enforcement under CM Yogi Adityanath‘s stewardship, home minister Amit Shah said Sunday at an investiture event in Lucknow’s Defence Expo Ground.“Goons no longer dictate terms in the state. The rule of law has been established,” Shah told the recruits, 15 of whom received their appointment letters from him. “Each of you was selected purely on merit from among 48 lakh applicants. There were no bribes, recommendations or caste-based bias, unlike when other governments were in office.”The home minister’s fulsome praise for Yogi in public effectively scotched speculation by some about the equation between the two.Shah commended the Yogi government for reserving 20% of the advertised posts in the constabulary for women, saying he was particularly delighted to meet some of those young recruits and see “confidence and determination written on their faces”.“UP now has the largest police force in the country, equipped with command centres, AI-based tools, PCR vans, and forensic labs on wheels. This is in stark contrast to the scene before 2017. The Modi-Yogi governance synergy has since made the difference,” he said.With Sunday’s induction, the strength of the force stands at nearly four lakh personnel, which includes around 36,000 women.Shah also spoke about Operation Sindoor, saying PM Modi had unequivocally conveyed to Pakistan that “anyone who dares to shed Indian blood will be punished”.