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Amit Shah mounts attack on Congress in Himachal Pradesh
Union home minister Amit Shah, who is on the campaign trail in Himachal Pradesh, on Wednesday hit out at the opposition Congress saying leaders with no political backing cannot think of becoming a chief minister in the party.
Union home minister Amit Shah, who is on the campaign trail in Himachal Pradesh, on Wednesday hit out at the opposition Congress saying leaders with no political backing cannot think of becoming a chief minister in the party.
In rallies he held in support of candidates from Nadaun (Hamirpur), Dharamshala (Kangra) and Nalagarh (Solan), a common theme of the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader’s speeches was that the Congress was a party that had no place for outsiders.
The home minister also highlighted surgical air strikes against Pakistan, construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, implementation of ‘one rank, one pension’ and abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir to woo the electorate.
During his rally in Nadaun, Shah alleged that the Congress was trying to lure 8-10 of his party’s leaders by promising them the chief minister’s post. “This is only a ploy to win some seats. In the Congress, it is mandatory that one is from a political family for being considered for the post of chief minister,” he said.
Slamming the opposition party over corruption, Shah said that during the 10-year rule of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, “there were so many scams that counting them was difficult”.
Also read: Only those from political families can eye a CM’s post in Congress: Amit Shah
“During the BJP rule, however, you won’t find a single scam,” he added.
Shah further said Himachal Pradesh had been Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Karmabhoomi” and that maximum development had taken place in the state during the BJP regime.
“Congress never seeks vote on the basis of performance. I am here to give you detail about what the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government and Jairam Thakur’s state government has done for Himachal during last five years,” said Shah.
He said people of the hill state should ask the Congress leader whose four generations ruled the country for 60 years what they have done for Himachal.
Among projects that found mention in Shah’s address were an All India Insititute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) campus, several medical colleges, the Atal Tunnel, a medical device park and a bulk drug park.
Touching on welfare schemes, Shah said: “Under Ayushman (Bharat) and Himcare (the state’s treatment scheme), 10 lakh families have been given free health cover upto ₹5 lakh, seven lakh families were given 5kg per person free ration for over two years during Covid pandemic and 10 lakh farmers were being given ₹6,000 per year.”
“Today, every household in Himachal has a toilet and an electricity connection,” he said, adding that the Congress never took care of the state’s people in such a way.
Shah said, under the leadership of PM Modi, India has become the 5th largest economy of the world and is emerging as a manufacturing hub.
Seeking votes for BJP candidates, Shah said people should choose wisely – either they go for the “corrupt Congress government” or “Modi’s politics of performance”.
He also brought up the issues of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and cross-border terrorism to target at the Congress.
“Congress could not construct Ram Mandir in 60 years, while Narendra Modi, soon after being elected for a second term as PM, started its work,” he said, adding that the temple would be ready by 2024.
Also read: Amit Shah hits out at Congress with ‘ma-beta party’ jibe
He further said the UPA government had failed to take a strong action against the menace of cross-border terrorism. “In the BJP regime, when Uri and Pulwama (terror attacks were carried out in these places in 2016 and 2019 respectively) happened, the PM gave a befitting reply by carrying out surgical and air strikes,” he said.
“Congress leaders from across the country have come to Himachal Pradesh as if for tourism. The youth of Himachal Pradesh have served the country and protected its boundaries and have given their supreme sacrifices. The first Paramvir Chakra was awarded to a Himachali Somnath Sharma. For 40 years they have been demanding ‘one rank, one pension’ but a deaf Congress never heard their voice. Modi ji came to power in 2014 and in 2015 he implemented the ‘one rank, one pension’ which cost ₹40,000 crore,” Shah added.
All India Congress Committee secretary Sudhir Sharma, who is contesting from Dharamshala, said Shah steered clear of addressing issues such as unemployment and inflation. “He (Shah) refrains from speaking on the problems and concerns of people of Himachal and tries to divert attention of people by raking up unrealistic matters,” he said.
Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in the hill state on November 12, with counting of votes scheduled on December 8.
