‘Bhupesh Baghel did nothing to curb Naxalism in 5 years’: Amit Shah in Chhattisgarh

Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday hit out at the previous Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government in Chhattisgarh, alleging it did nothing to control the Naxal menace in the tribal-dominated state.

“Narendra Modi Ji ended terrorism and Naxalism in India. Bhupesh Baghel who is known as the Mahadev App brand chief minister did nothing to control Naxalism for five years. But once the people formed a BJP government, in just four months more than 90 Naxalites were eliminated, 123 were arrested, and 250 surrendered,” Shah said at an election rally in Chhattisgarh's Kanker, which will vote in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 26.

“Modi Ji ended Naxalism from the entire nation whether it is Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Jharkhand, or Madhya Pradesh. Make Modi Ji the prime minister for the third term he will end Naxalism from Chhattisgarh also in just two years,” Shah added.

“As long as Naxalism is there our tribal brothers and sisters do not receive electricity in their homes, fair price shops. I want to tell the remaining Naxalites today that they should surrender otherwise the outcome of the battle is pre-decided we will end the Naxalites,” the minister said.

Shah's statement comes days after 29 Naxals were gunned down in an encounter with the security forces in Kanker. According to the senior police officers, two of those eliminated were key Naxal commanders Shankar Rao and Lalita Meravi.

During the rally, Shah mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in which the latter mentioned Congress manifesto.

ALSO READ: Congress will take away your gold, land, redistribute it, says PM Modi

“It is written that the Congress wants to do a survey of the properties of citizens. Now they are creating a clamour against Modi Ji’s speech. I want to ask the Congress and Rahul Gandhi whether or not the proposal to survey the properties of the individuals is included the Congress manifesto?” Shah said.

“Their prime minister said that the minority has the first right over the resources of the nation and not the tribes and Dalits. So the people need to keep an eye on their intention to divert the resources of temple and the nation towards the minorities. But we say that the first right over the resources of the nation lies with the poor, tribes, Dalits and backward classes,” Shah added.