Bhopal, Aug 20 (Agency) In an acerbic assault on the Congress, Union Home Affairs and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah alleged on Sunday that the former possesses a tradition of casteism, dynasticism and corruption in stark contrast with the BJP, which focuses on development. During a press conference at the Kushabhau Thakre Auditorium in the capital of election-bound Madhya Pradesh, the visiting dignitary averred, “What did the Congress achieve? Whenever it received the mandate, scams were perpetrated. These include Bofors, Commonwealth, 2G spectrum, Adarsh Housing Society, ‘National Herald’, securities, hawala, IPL, LIC and submarine purchase. Congress leaders should look at their own shortcomings.” Denouncing dynasticism as nothing short of poison, the seasoned leader said that the evil also plagues the SP, DMK and SS (Uddhav).
“Generally speaking, one or two individuals may be elevated to positions of responsibility on the basis of their capability but let that argument not be employed to dilute the issue. Whose son was (erstwhile prime minister ) Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose son is (Prime Minister) Mr Narendra Modi and whose son is Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan?” Mr Shah asked rhetorically. From 2015, the Congress systematically adhered to a strategy of mixing the venom of casteism in the mass psyche, he alleged, adding that the former falsely alleges misuse of central agencies that are actually undertaking thorough investigation. “The next general election shall be one of outright liberation from poverty,” he underlined. Evading a direct response to the vital question of whether Mr Chouhan would serve in his present capacity in the event of the BJP continuing in the saddle post-polls, he quipped, “Why are you (the correspondent concerned) doing party work?”
Mr Shah launched the Garib Kalyan Mahaabhiyan and released the state’s BJP dispensation’s ‘report card’ vis-à-vis milestones crossed over the past couple of decades. Coming down heavily on former Congress chief ministers Digvijaya Singh and Kamal Nath, he said, “I am surprised that Mr Nath – who has never handled a plough – speaks of MSP! From 1950-2003 – barring some years – the Congress held sway over central India. It must place the accounts of this period before the public. Madhya Pradesh ‘earned’ the BiMaRU tag and was listed among four states responsible for decelerating development. The UN and other agencies labelled these as ‘write-off’ states. When I had journeyed by road to Ujjain for offering worship to Mahakaleshwar, I was rudely awakened as the vehicle encountered innumerable potholes after entering Madhya Pradesh. However, since 2003; the BJP government toiled to usher in transformation vis-à-vis health, industries, agriculture, education, power, water, roads, law and order from Bhopal to every chaupal.” The Minister touched on various development schemes and furnished figures while pointing out that central funds to this state were paltry in the 2004-14 period. “During 15 months of Mr Nath’s reign, indigent-welfare schemes were placed on the backburner and the campaign itself crippled. Agrarian debt waiver turned out to be hollow promise and a transfer industry was established,” he alleged.