Himachal elections | Congress has always ignored national interest for vote bank: Amit Shah
The home minister said that nobody can stop the BJP government in the state from implementing Uniform Civil Code; slams Congress for opposing the criminalisation of ‘triple talaq’
Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday slammed the Congress party for ‘ignoring national interest’ for vote bank politics and promised Uniform Civil Code (UCC) if the BJP government is elected back to power in the state.

Shah addressed two election rallies in Nagrota Bagwan and Jaswan-Pragpur assembly segments in Kangra district and one at Una.
“For 70 years, Congress impeded the demand of our Muslim mothers and sister to strike down “triple-talaq” for fear of losing its vote bank,” alleged Shah at a rally in Jaswan-Pragpur and added, “PM Modi after being elected for a second term in 2019 abolished the social evil.”
Shah added now it’s the turn of the Uniform Civil Code. “Elect Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government in the state and nobody can stop us from implementing Uniform Civil Code,” Shah said referring to the promise made by BJP in its poll manifesto, which was released today.
Shah said Congress does vote-bank politics.
“Congress didn’t build the Ram Mandir, for which lakhs of people sacrificed their lives since Babar demolished the temple. PM (Narendra) Modiji laid its foundation stone and a magnificent Ram Mandir at Ayodhya will be ready by January 2024,” he said.
Invoking the abrogation of Article 370 to seek a mandate for the BJP, Shah alleged that Congress continues with the mistake committed by first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru that alienated Jammu-Kashmir from India.
“It was due to the Modi government, which scrapped Article 370, that Jammu and Kashmir has become a glittering head-crown of India and is progressing on the development path,” said the Union Home Minister.
Maintaining that PM Modi has worked to uphold the honour of the women of the country, Shah said, if voted to power, the BJP government would give 33% reservation to the women in government jobs.
Shah said BJP has launched various schemes in the state for the upliftment of women and referred to the BJP manifesto’s promise of providing three free gas cylinders for women, ₹25,000 for pregnant women, cycles for girl students in classes six to 12th and scooters for girls pursuing higher education if his party retained power.
Elaborating on the other promises made by the BJP in its manifesto, Shah said the BJP government would also address the discrepancies in salary and allowances of the government employees and build five new medical colleges.
Will vacate encroachment on WAQF property
The Union home minister also said that, if voted to power, the BJP government would make Waqf Board transparent by vacating encroachment on its properties and merging them into the national assets.
Earlier, speaking at Nagrota Rally, Shah said that Himachal has witnessed unprecedented development under the BJP regime and the party would again form the government in the state with a two-thirds majority.
Shah said the Congress’ regional card won’t work this time and “green cap or red cap, upper Himachal or lower Himachal,” all will vote for BJP.
“Your vote is not to elect an MLA or CM but to make India a strong and prosperous nation by the centenary year of independence,” he said.
ABOUT THE AUTHORNaresh K ThakurNaresh K Thakur is a staff reporter in Hindustan Times’ Himachal bureau. Based at Dharamshala, he covers Tibetan affairs, local politics and environmental issues.

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