RAIPUR: Union home minister Amit Shah declared today that Naxalism has almost been eradicated across the country, with only a fragment lingering in Chhattisgarh. He expressed confidence that this remaining menace would be swiftly eliminated if the Modi govt retains power at the centre.
“Only the tail of the Maoist monster remains in Chhattisgarh. The problem could have been solved much earlier, but there were slackening efforts on the part of the previous Bhupesh Baghel govt in combating Naxalism,” he stated while addressing an election meeting in Khairagarh, within the Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha constituency.
Canvassing support for BJP candidate Santosh Pandey, the Union Home Minister said, “I guarantee that if Modi Ji becomes the Prime Minister for the third term, the Maoists remaining in Chhattisgarh will be eliminated, and the state will be made free from their menace.” He also appreciated the joint effort of chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai and deputy chief minister Vijay Sharma, resulting in the elimination of 54 Maoists in Chhattisgarh, along with more than 150 arrests and over 250 surrenders in a short span of time.
The Union home minister then criticised the Congress party for spreading lies. He referred to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s statement about PM Modi ending reservation and changing the Constitution. He assured the people of Chhattisgarh, “We will not let anything happen to reservation, whether it is for Dalits, STs, or backward classes.”
Taking a dig at former chief minister and Congress candidate Bhupesh Baghel, Shah remarked, “Bhupesh ‘Kaka’ has not filled his stomach even after so much corruption, yet he still wants to become an MP from here.” He urged the people of Rajnandgaon to defeat Baghel by an even bigger margin than in the assembly elections.
Shah highlighted various scams during the Bhupesh government’s tenure, including the PSC scam, Gothan scam, Vermi compost scam, and scams in the name of Mahadev, questioning whether such a candidate should be chosen.
The Union home minister appealed to the people of Khairagarh to vote for the BJP by pressing the lotus button to ensure the party’s victory. He emphasized the change in the scenario in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, stating that peace has returned to the region, which is now a permanent part of India.
Shah endorsed the ‘one nation, one election’ and Uniform Civil Code (UCC) during his address, expressing the BJP’s support for these initiatives. He also announced free healthcare up to Rs 5 lakh for all elderly people above 70 and reiterated the party’s commitment to provide cheap gas, free treatment, and uplift millions of sisters economically.
Furthermore, Shah mentioned the BJP’s efforts to build the Ram temple, including the ground-breaking ceremony and the temple’s construction, along with the recent Pran Pratishtha ceremony. He criticized the Congress for delaying and misleading on this issue for years.
He also highlighted the Modi government’s achievements, such as building toilets in 38 lakh houses and the announcement to build 18 lakh houses in Chhattisgarh under the Vishnu Deo Sai government. Shah emphasized the BJP’s commitment to prioritize the welfare of the poor and farmers.
chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai echoed Shah’s sentiments, stating that the BJP would not allow Congress to open an account in Chhattisgarh due to the previous government’s corruption and betrayal of the people’s trust.