Congress-led Rajasthan ‘most corrupt’ in nation: Shah makes poll pitch
Union Home Minister Amit Shah claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will form the government in Rajasthan with a record margin in the upcoming assembly elections. He also predicted that Narendra Modi will become Prime Minister for the third time in 2024. Shah criticized the current Congress government, accusing it of being the most corrupt in the country. He highlighted issues such as corruption, illegal mining, and unemployment in Rajasthan. In response, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot called Shah's statements irresponsible.
Jaipur: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will form the government in Rajasthan with record margin during the assembly elections this year, and Narendra Modi will return as Prime Minister for the third time when the Lok Sabha polls are held in 2024, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Friday.
Addressing a public meeting at Gandhi Ground in Udaipur, Shah alleged that the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government was running the “most corrupt” administration in the country, and various surveys indicated that the state ranked first in terms of corruption for the past three to four years. Assembly elections for 200 seats are due to be held later this year.
Shah’s public meeting was organised to highlight the central government’s achievements in the last nine years, which, he claimed, were transformative for India in several ways. “The BJP will win the 2023 and 2024 elections. The BJP will form the government in Rajasthan with a record margin. Narendra Modi is certain to become the Prime Minister again in 2024 with BJP winning over 300 seats,” he said.
In the 2018 elections, the Congress bagged 100 seats and the BJP 73. In the Lok Sabha elections the next year, the BJP and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance bagged 303 of the 436 seats it contested; the Congress won 52.
Accusing the Gehlot government of indulging in corrupt practices, Shah said: “Gehlot ji’s government is number one in corruption. This government has done the work of breaking all the records of corruption. Gehlot ji broke all the promises he had made.”
“Illegal mining is being carried out openly, cash and I kg gold were recovered from the secretariat (in March)… whom did it belong to, Gehlot ji?” he said.
He criticised the chief minister for failing to fulfil the promises made by the Congress in the run up to the 2018 elections, and highlighted the need for his government to step down. “Farmer loans have not been waived, land of 19,000 farmers has been seized for non-repayment of loans… the youngsters are not getting unemployment dole… there have been 19 question paper leaks… Rajasthan is number one in the country in terms of unemployment and rapes,” he alleged.
“Gehlot ji, why are you running around here and there at your age. Somebody should send a video of this gathering to Gehlot. He will know that his government’s countdown has begun. The BJP will win the 2023 and the 2024 elections,” he said.
The Union minister also targeted the state government over an alleged delay in the Kanhaiya Lal murder case, saying that had it set up a special court, the accused would have been hanged by now. Lal was hacked to death by two people on June 28 for allegedly supporting suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s remarks on Prophet Mohammed.
“Who failed to provide security to Kanhaiya Lal? Whose police stayed quiet? Rajasthan Police did not want to catch the terrorists. NIA nabbed them,” he said.
Hitting back, CM Gehlot said: “It is expected that people holding responsible positions will not do politics on a serious issue such as terrorism but what Union home minister Amit Shah did in Udaipur today is an irresponsible act.”
