Union Home Minister Amit Shah, addressing a rally in Saraipali, Chhattisgarh, ahead of the state's upcoming elections, on Saturday (September 2) vowed to rescue Chhattisgarh from what he described as the corrupt Bhupesh Baghel government. Shah accused the Congress-led administration in Chhattisgarh of obstructing Prime Minister Modi's efforts to serve the tribal communities.
"I am here to tell you that we will save Chhattisgarh from the corrupt Bhupesh Baghel government," Shah said. "The Congress' corrupt government (in Chhattisgarh) does not allow PM Modi to work for tribals."
In his speech, Shah advocated for the return of Dr Raman Singh's BJP government in the state. He highlighted former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's role in the formation of Chhattisgarh and credited Raman Singh's leadership with its development over the last 15 years. Shah also mentioned that tribal reservations were increased from 20% to 32% during Raman Singh's tenure.
"Former Prime Minister Ataj ji created this Chhattisgarh state, and Raman Singh has been in charge of developing and managing it for the past 15 years." Shah recalled the Raman Singh government, saying, "Previously, tribal communities received 20% of reservations; Raman Singh increased it to 32%."
Shah did not spare Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who was also visiting the state, challenging him to articulate his vision for the Adivasis of Chhattisgarh. He pledged to safeguard the state from what he called a "corrupt government."
"Rahul baba has arrived in the state today; he will undoubtedly say something; I want to ask him, Rahul baba, what have you, and what are you offering to the state's Adivasis?" Shah asked.
"I am here to tell you that we created Chhattisgarh, developed and nurtured it, and we will save you from the clutches of this corrupt government," he said.
Referring to allegations of a "Rice scam," Shah urged voters to reject the Bhupesh Baghel-led government, accusing it of attempting to turn Chhattisgarh into the "ATM of Congress." He promised to prioritize development in the state.
"Uproot the government that steals rice of the Tribal...No one should vote for this government (Bhupesh Baghel-government) that do Rice scam. Bhupesh Baghel wants to make Chhattisgarh ATM of Congress, but we will not let this happen. We will do development in the state," he added.
Shah cited the appointment of Droupadi Murmu as President of India as evidence of Prime Minister Modi's commitment to marginalised communities, contrasting it with the Congress' record.
"The Modi government has always worked for the marginalised sections of the country, with the appointment of Droupadi Murmu as President of the Country being the prime example; the Congress did not appoint anyone from the bottom to the top, but PM Modi got a chance and made Droupadi ji the President," Shah said.
He commended the successful launch of ISRO's Aditya-L1 and the recent Chandrayaan-3 landing on the south pole of the Moon.
Shah praised the significance of the day, saying, "For this achievement, I congratulate all scientists, engineers, and Prime Minister Modi. We received the good news of Chanyayaan-3's successful landing just a few days ago."
Earlier in the day, Shah released an "Arop Patra" against the Bhupesh Baghel government, accusing it of scams, looting, and atrocities against the people. He urged Chhattisgarh residents to choose between a corrupt government and a BJP government focused on development.