Saraipalli (Chhattisgarh), Sep 2 (Agency) In a sarcasm-laced assault on former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Union Home Affairs and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah alleged on Saturday that Mr Gandhi only pays lip service to tribal welfare while the “casteist and anti-tribal” Baghel dispensation is corrupt to the core as it perpetrated numerous scams. Addressing a Janjatiya Mahasammelan in this town of Mahasamund district, the visiting leader quipped, “Rahul baba, betterment of adivasis can scarcely be achieved by merely dancing with them. The Narendra Modi government ensured elevation of an indigent tribal family’s daughter to the nation’s highest constitutional office. Decades of the Gandhi family’s dynastic regime at the Centre did not witness any such achievement.” Accusing Mr Baghel of attempting to convert Chhattisgarh into an ATM for the Congress, Mr Shah added that the BJP shall not allow such a fate to befall the region that was “the abode of Lord Ram’s maternal grandfather.” “Congress grabbed tribal land and let the scourge of Left-wing extremism continue unabated.
The non-achiever Baghel dispensation consumes rice meant for the impoverished. Tendu leaf bonus was not provided to adivasi brethren thereby affecting livelihood. As many as 40,000 women and children perished owing to lack of proper medical care,” he alleged. The Minister heartily felicitated the Prime Minister and ISRO scientists for the successful launch of Aditya-L1. He described the earlier success of Chandrayaan-3 as a source of pride. During his 23-minute-long speech; Mr Shah highlighted the Centre’s achievements vis-à-vis agrarian welfare, health, ration, education, forest rights, toilets, power, cooking gas, employment, anti-Naxalism, tribal museums and ST welfare.Among the dignitaries who graced the occasion were Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Renuka Singh Saruta and former Chief Minister Raman Singh.