Daijiworld Media Network - Dehradun
Dehradun, Nov 6: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday accused the Congress of deliberately neglecting border areas of Uttarakhand by refusing to construct roads and stalling development projects over fears of Chinese intrusion. He asserted that the Narendra Modi-led government had strengthened the country's borders and transformed border villages into the first villages of India.
Addressing the Uttarakhand Rajyotsav Samaroh in Dehradun, Shah recalled the contribution of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the formation of Uttarakhand and paid tribute to those who lost their lives during the statehood movement.
"For years, the people of the hills struggled for the formation of Uttarakhand. However, the Samajwadi Party and the Congress committed numerous atrocities against the youth to prevent the formation of Uttarakhand. On November 9, 2000, by establishing the state of Uttarakhand, Atal ji turned a long-standing demand into reality. I pay tribute to all those who lost their lives during the long struggle for the creation of Uttarakhand," he said.
Asserting that the BJP had played a pivotal role in the creation and development of the state, Shah said, "While Atal ji created Uttarakhand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has carried out its beautification."
He said the BJP was committed to making Uttarakhand the first state to achieve developed-state status by 2047 as part of the vision of 'Viksit Bharat'.
"We must fulfil the dreams of those who sacrificed their lives for the motherland, preserve our cultural heritage and environment, and ensure that the youth follow the path of patriotism and valour," he added.
Expressing confidence that the BJP would form the government for a third consecutive term in Uttarakhand, Shah took a swipe at Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, saying his visits to the state would make no difference.
"Rahul Gandhi ji, your tours to the state will not make any difference. Our party workers are tirelessly working day and night to resolve the problems of the people of Devbhoomi. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is actively driving development in Uttarakhand by focusing on key initiatives," he said.
Highlighting the state's economic progress, Shah claimed that Uttarakhand's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) had increased by 50 per cent since 2022, while the per capita income of its citizens had risen by 40 per cent.
He said industrial projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore had already reached the implementation stage, with work underway despite several industrial challenges in the state.
Referring to the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Shah said the legislation had ensured that no person could marry four times and no woman could be subjected to Triple Talaq in Uttarakhand.
"We will slowly implement the UCC in all BJP-ruled states," he asserted.
He also highlighted the state's stringent anti-cheating law, saying it had been framed to ensure that those involved in examination paper leaks faced punishment without legal hurdles.
Shah further credited the Dhami-led BJP government with introducing the anti-conversion law in the state.
Targeting former chief minister Harish Rawat, he questioned the Congress government's contribution to Uttarakhand during its tenure.
"Did you carry out any such work during your tenure that the people of the state might remember? Instead, the only work the Congress did was to stop the formation of Uttarakhand," he alleged.
Shah said the people of the state would have to decide whether they wanted to vote for the BJP, which had brought development, or for what he described as Rahul Gandhi's government, which was embroiled in corruption.
Accusing the previous Congress government of turning Uttarakhand into a 'money order economy', he alleged that its policies had failed to benefit the people.
"They used to say that if roads were made, China would attempt to make intrusions. But we did build roads, and Prime Minister Modi built the country in such a way that today no one will dare to touch India's borders," Shah said.
Without naming Pakistan, the Home Minister said India had responded firmly to those who challenged its security through surgical strikes and Operation Sindoor, during which, he claimed, the Modi government eliminated enemies in their own territories.
He also accused the previous Congress government of keeping border areas away from development out of fear of foreign intrusion. In contrast, he said, the Modi government had transformed border villages into the first villages of the country.
Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, Shah also criticised Rahul Gandhi's 'Voter Adhikar Yatra', calling it a 'Ghuspathiya Bachao Yatra'.
"Rahul ji, your fake narrative will not be tolerated by citizens," he said.
Looking ahead to next year's Assembly elections, Shah expressed confidence that Uttarakhand would be the next state where the BJP would secure a hat-trick of electoral victories.
"There are many states where the BJP has made a hat-trick in winning Assembly polls. Next in line is Uttarakhand," he said.