Hitting out at Chhattisgarh’s Congress government for corruption and unfulfilled election promises, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 7 called the party a big ‘panja (hand)‘ that stood like a high wall between the State and its development.
Foundation stones
Mr. Modi was addressing a rally at the Science College ground here after inaugurating and laying foundation stones for development projects worth around ₹7,600 crore. This was his first visit to the State since taking over as Prime Minister for a second term in 2019.
“The next 25 years are very important for the development of Chhattisgarh. But in front of the development of Chhattisgarh, a huge hand has stood like a wall. This is the hand of Congress. This hand is snatching your rights from you. The Congress have decided that they will ruin Chhattisgarh by looting it,” he said, in a reference to the party’s election symbol.
Describing the Chhattisgarh government as a “model of corruption and misgovernance”, the Prime Minister added that it had become an ATM for the Congress. He said this is why leaders from Chhattisgarh were given crucial responsibilities in elections of other States.
Corruption rife
“Chhattisgarh has become an ATM for Congress. Corruption is not limited to liquor. No department is left where corruption is not being committed in Chhattisgarh. No scheme has been spared, not even the Jal Jeevan Mission or PM Housing Scheme...,” he said.
He alleged that due to squabbles over money caused by corruption, “the two-and-a-half year power-sharing formula” [between Bhupesh Baghel and TS Singh Deo, both leaders deny any such arrangement], fell through.
He questioned the silence of the Congress over its election promises from 2018 such as liquor ban and said the party has memory loss when reminded.
He said the number of insurgency-affected districts had declined from 126 to around 70 because of the Centre’s efforts. He also accused the Congress of ignoring the cause of tribals.
The PM said the State was rife with calls to change the government [the State is due for elections later this year].
He said the Opposition’s attempt to forge an anti-BJP front was strange because those who were usually critical of each other were coming together, but this front did not faze him.
“Wrongdoing will not be spared. I dare to say this because whatever I have is given by you (people) and the country. Those who are conspiring against me and trying to dig my grave don’t know that “jo dar gaya wo Modi nahin (one who gets scared cannot be Modi),” he said.
Paddy procurement claims
The Prime Minister said that the Congress was misleading the farmers of the State on paddy procurement claims and that more than 80% of the procurement is done by the Government of India. “We not only increased the support price of paddy but also increased the number of farmers under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Yojana,” he said.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel dismissed this claim as a lie and asked why farmers in Varanasi, Mr. Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency, were forced to sell paddy at Rs.1000-1200 a quintal.
Before the rally, Mr. Modi virtually flagged off a new train service between Antagarh in Kanker district and Raipur.
