Shah launches sharp attack on Congress, hails Dhami government’s performance
By Arun Pratap SinghGarhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 6 Nov: Union Home Minister Amit Shah today launched a scathing attack on the Congress and its senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and former Chief Minister Harish Rawat, while addressing a massive public gathering at Parade Ground here on the occasion of Uttarakhand State Foundation Day celebrations. Shah accused the Congress of spreading misinformation on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls and asserted that infiltrators would be identified and expelled from the country under all the circumstances. Calling upon the people to ensure another BJP government in Uttarakhand, Shah urged party workers to reach out to every household and work towards the target of winning more than 65 Assembly seats in the forthcoming elections.
Taking a dig at Harish Rawat, Shah remarked that it was the Congress which used to declare holidays in schools on Fridays. Making an apparent reference to the controversial sting operation involving the former CM, he said that the entire world had witnessed what used to happen in the Secretariat during the Congress regime. He challenged the Congress to name even one significant achievement of its governments that the people of Uttarakhand would remember. Accusing the Congress party of obstructing the state’s development, the Union Home Minister asserted that the Congress had kept Uttarakhand dependent on a ‘money order economy’ for years, whereas the BJP had worked towards establishing industries that generate wealth and employment.
Shah also strongly criticised the Congress over its alleged stand on a proposed Muslim University and claimed that it would promote such demands if voted to power. He said the BJP government is committed to making Devbhoomi Uttarakhand the cultural capital of the country and would continue its drive against illegal encroachments, unauthorised mazaars and madrasas. Taking aim at Rahul Gandhi, he said that even action against illegal encroachments is not acceptable to him.
On the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Shah said that some people continue to oppose the idea despite its objective of ensuring equality in personal laws. He questioned whether anyone should be permitted to marry four times and reminded that Uttarakhand was the first state in the country to implement the UCC. He claimed that the legislation prohibited practices such as polygamy and triple talaq and added that 15 other states have also initiated steps towards implementing a similar legal framework. He further said that the state had taken firm measures against religious conversions through its anti-conversion law.
The Union Home Minister strongly praised the Dhami government for its action against paper leaks and the examination mafia, stating that more than 35,000 youths have secured government jobs without recommendations or having to pay money. He said that young people in Uttarakhand wanted industrial development and employment opportunities, and the government was working in that direction. Referring to the 2023 Global Investors Summit, Shah disclosed that investment proposals worth Rs 3.56 lakh crores had been signed, of which projects involving investments exceeding Rs 1 lakh crore have already reached the implementation stage.
In an interesting anecdote highlighting his confidence in CM Dhami, Shah recalled that when the latter had initially set a target of attracting investments worth Rs 1 lakh crore to the state, he had been somewhat sceptical. He said he personally contacted the Chief Secretary to verify the figures and was convinced only after being briefed about the detailed roadmap and progress of the investment proposals. He subsequently developed complete confidence in Dhami’s administrative capabilities.
Shah also highlighted the state’s economic progress, claiming that Uttarakhand’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) had increased by 50 per cent and per capita income by 40 per cent since 2022. He referred to major infrastructure projects, including the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, Char Dham All-Weather Road, Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway line, proposed Tanakpur-Bageshwar railway line and ropeway projects to Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib. He also mentioned the proposed AIIMS satellite centre at Kichha, the development of 51 border villages under the Vibrant Villages programme and the expansion of rural homestays. Among other achievements, he cited 30 per cent reservation for women in government jobs, 33 per cent reservation in cooperative societies and 10 per cent reservation for statehood agitators in government services. He also praised the government for increasing the ex-gratia assistance to the families of martyred soldiers from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 50 lakh.
Referring to national security, Shah accused previous Congress governments of neglecting border infrastructure due to apprehensions about provoking China. He said the Modi government has strengthened road connectivity in border areas and that the country’s security preparedness is now strong enough to deter any adversary. He cited surgical strikes and Operation Sindoor as examples of India’s willingness to respond firmly to threats.
Shah also credited former Chief Ministers BC Khanduri and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank with laying important foundations for development, while acknowledging the contributions of former Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and Dhami in carrying the state’s development agenda forward.
Recalling the sacrifices made during the Uttarakhand statehood movement, Shah paid tribute to the activists who laid down their lives, particularly referring to the Rampur Tiraha incident. He credited former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with creating Uttarakhand and Prime Minister Narendra Modi with taking its development forward. Calling Uttarakhand as the first major milestone in the journey towards a developed India by 2047, he urged the younger generation to draw inspiration from legendary figures such as Veerangana Tilu Rauteli, Madhav Singh Bhandari, Darban Singh Negi, Gabbar Singh Negi, Chandra Singh Garhwali and General Bipin Rawat.
Shah also used the opportunity to call upon the BJP workers to work had towards securing another strong mandate for the party in Uttarakhand.
Former CMs Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Vijay Bahuguna, Tirath Singh Rawat and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank; Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Ajay Tamta; Rajya Sabha MP and BJP State President Mahendra Bhatt; Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal; MPs Anil Baluni, Ajay Bhatt and Bansuri Swaraj; Cabinet Ministers Satpal Maharaj, Ganesh Joshi, Madan Kaushik, Khajan Das, Subodh Uniyal, Dhan Singh Rawat, Ram Singh Kaira, Saurabh Bahuguna, Rekha Arya, Bharat Singh Chaudhary and Pradeep Batra; Dehradun Mayor Saurabh Thapliyal, besides MLAs, office-bearers holding various responsibilities, public representatives, senior government officials and a large number of people from across the state were present on this occasion.
Earlier, on his arrival at the Parade Ground Dhami presented Shah with traditional mementoes reflecting Uttarakhand’s cultural identity and ancient Indian civilisation. These included a traditional Uttarakhand cap, a shawl, a Gangajali and a symbolic representation of Samudra Manthan.
About The Author
