Modi, Shah step up attack on Cong as Guj battle intensifies

Gujarat

The Congress will have to abandon its vote-bank politics if it wants to win the trust of the people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday as campaigning in Gujarat heated up with the first phase of the assembly elections drawing nearer.

Addressing four rallies across the state, Modi also criticised the Congress for inviting activist Medha Patkar to its Bharat Jodo Yatra, said the opposition party practised appeasement politics, and hailed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for developing villages, which he said previous governments had neglected.

Union home minister Amit

Shah, who addressed three rallies, said the people’s vote will play an important role in deciding the future of Gujarat and the entire country for the next five years

“If the Congress party wants to win the trust of the people of Gujarat, they have to give up their highly divisive politics, colours of communal riots and casteism, and vote bank politics. Those who want to divide the country can no longer count on getting support and trust from the people of Gujarat or India,” Modi said at an election rally in Palitana.

He also addressed rallies at Anjar, Rajkot and Jamnagar.

“Illiteracy, malnutrition, these had become the misfortune of the villages of Gujarat. But when Gujarat trusted the BJP, things started changing. The BJP made safe and secured Gujarat as its priority. We created an environment of harmony, peace and unity in every village and city of Gujarat,” he said.

The state votes in two phases on December 1 and 5. The results will be announced on December 8. The BJP is looking to win its seventh straight assembly election in what is the state’s first triangular contest since 1990. The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hope to dislodge the BJP in its stronghold.

In Palitana, Modi also said the unity of the Gujarati people is why the Congress and “divisive politics” was wiped out of Gujarat. “In the last two decades under the BJP regime, there has continuous development in Gujarat,” he added.

Modi also accused the Congress of being terrorist sympathisers and criticising appeasement politics. “Since the BJP came to power at the Centre, the country has adopted a policy of zero tolerance for terrorism and Naxalism. However, keep in mind that these individuals are seeking an opportunity, but neither Gujarat nor the nation will grant them one,” he added.

In Anjar, Modi talked about how Narmada waters reaching the parched lands of Saurashtra and Kutch brought prosperity for local people. “Gujarat can’t tolerate people walking hand-inbeen hand in the padyatra with those who ensured the Narmada waters do not reach Gujarat. Gujarat will not tolerate this act. Today, Gujarat is producing 1.10 crore cotton bales, which was 17 lakh two decades ago. The crop production has gone up two to three times more than what it was two decades ago. This has all happened due to the Narmada waters” he said.

Patkar joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Maharashtra on November 19. Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said several people who were with Patkar have joined BJP in the past.

At a rally, Shah said that the people’s vote will play an important role in deciding the future of Gujarat and the entire country for the next five years. “We are not only going to form our double engine government in Gujarat, but once again in 2024 with a record-breaking majority, we have to again make Narendrabhai the Prime Minister,” he said.

Reacting to PM Modi remarks, Congress spokesperson Doshi said: “...He talks about prosperity in Kutch, but the truth is that the canal constructed to bring Narmada waters was damaged and broke 300 times. Had there been a reservoir, the entire Kutch district would have been flooded.”

Elections ’22