Making his pitch for a “double engine” government in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday that if the BJP came to power, Naxalism would be eliminated in five years.
Addressing poll rallies in three different parts of the State, including Jashpur, Mr. Shah also alleged that rampant “religious conversion” had been taking place under Congress rule, even as he invoked the late Dilip Singh Judev, scion of the Jashpur royal family , and an “anti-conversion crusader”.
“Chhattisgarh is still infested with Naxalaites. I appeal to you to form a double-engine government here and we promise to wipe out Naxalism within five years,” he said at Jashpur.
Religious conversion
Mr. Shah said that during Congress rule, Chhattisgarh saw unfettered religious conversion of tribal people.
“But this is the home of [late Dilip Singh] Judev Ji and we will not allow anyone to convert tribal people without their consent,” the home Minister said. Mr. Shah said that for 70 years, the Congress Party delayed the Ram Temple, stalling, diverting, but Mr. Modi was going to dedicate the grand temple in Ayodhya on January 22 next year.
He alleged that Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was involved in scams running into thousands of crores of rupees. On the Mahadev betting app case, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government had successfully organised a moon landing by Chandrayaan and named the site ‘Shiv-Shakti Point’, the Congress on the other hand had linked the name of Lord Mahadev to betting.
In his public events, Mr. Shah spoke of the promises his party made to the people of Chhattisgarh, including purchase of 21 quintals per acre of paddy from every farmer at the rate of ₹3,100 per quintal. “Every married woman will be given ₹ 12 thousand annually. Farmers will be given additional financial assistance of ₹ 12,000 in Chhattisgarh under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi,” he said.
