Shah, Gadkari slam Congress for ‘ignoring’ Sardar Patel’s legacy
DHARAMSHALA/SHIMLA: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Tuesday said the Congress has tried to run down the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the man who united India, one generation after another.
Addressing an election rally at Surajpur in the Indora assembly segment of Kangra district, Shah said when the British left India, it was a country disintegrated into with over 300 small princely states.
“There was a big question facing the country — whether India will unite or disintegrate?” said the BJP chief, adding that Patel united “smaller states into one nation”. If India today is a united country, Shah said, the credit goes to Sardar Patel.
“Unfortunately, the Congress ignored (his) contribution for three generations and tried to wipe him out from the minds and hearts of people,” said Shah.
He said it was the BJP government which conferred Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in the country, on Sardar Patel posthumously and also put his portrait in the Parliament to recognise his contribution.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre was determined and is working to make India the country Sardar Patel dreamt of.
Taking a dig at the Virbhadra led-government in Himachal, Shah said it has turned ‘dev bhoomi’ (land of gods) into ‘mafia bhoomi’ (land of mafia). “The state is virtually in clutches of mafia — forest, mining , drug mafia and transfer mafias.”
Raking up the law and order issue, Shah asked the CM as who was responsible for what happened to the 14-year-old girl in Shimla’s Kotkhai.
“The police did not investigate the case. An accused is killed in custody and when the CBI took over the probe, a Dig-rank officer has to go to jail. Women should seek the answer from the chief minister,” he said.
Taking a jibe at Congress vicepresident Rahul Gandhi, Shah said he was seeking account from the Centre’s three-year rule but who will give account of Gandhi family’s three generations for which it was in power.
“The Shanta Kumar government gave water to people of Himachal, Prem Kumar Dhumal built roads. What have you (Congress) given to Himachal? You have given nothing except a chief minister who is facing corruption charges,” he said.
NEHRU-GANDHI FAMILY ENDED POVERTY, BUT OF ITS OWN, SAYS GADKARI
Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday attacked the NehruGandhi family over its alleged failure to eradicate poverty and corruption, and said it only alleviated the poverty of party leaders and their families.
Addressing a poll rally in Nirmand, Gadkari said Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi was repeating the slogan that ‘poverty will be eliminated’ given by first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and continued by ex-prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.
“Yes, they have succeeded in eradicating poverty but the poverty of only Congress aides, families and leaders, not that of common people,” the minister for road transport and highways told the rally in Kullu district under Anni assembly constituency. He was canvassing for BJP candidate Kishori Lal. The state assembly election is scheduled to be held on November 9.
He also accused chief minister Virbhadra Singh of being involved in corruption. The election is for the future of the people who have suffered due to “corruption” of Congress government, Gadkari said.