Ponda (Goa) [India], April 16 : Sounding the poll bugle for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in South Goa's Ponda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday took a swipe at Congress, saying the grand old party can do development in corruption and dynastic politics.
"Congress can do development but in corruption, dynastic politics and casteism. Only BJP, does politics of development, and therefore in the last nine years, today, India is the fifth largest economy in the world," the Home Minister said while addressing a public meeting here.
Citing the Congress' defeat in the recently held Assembly elections in three northeastern states of Nagaland, Meghalaya and Tripura where the BJP and its allies returned to power, Shah said that the results of the polls have sent a message to the nation that only those who can secure India and can do development can govern the country.
"Rahul Gandhi has recently completed his (Bharat Jodo) yatra. All the Congress leaders seemed very happy after it. Then came the northeast elections. The northeast used to be considered Congress' bastion. Rahul Gandhi went there and campaigned. Congress was wiped off in all three states (Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura). The BJP formed its government in all three states. the northeast has sent a message across the nation that only the one who can give security, peace and development to the country, has the right to govern the country," he said.
Shah further slammed Congress for calling the northeastern states as "small states" and said that the small states have the same importance as bigger states.
"When we won the small state elections like Goa, Uttarakhand and northeast, Kharge said that these are small states. Kharge sahab, the states might be small, but are very important parts of the country, don't forget it. Do not insult the small states. Small states have the same importance as bigger states. The smaller the state, the bigger the responsibility of the Centre to develop it," he said.
On the occasion, the Home Minister remembered Manohar Parrikar who was made the Defence Minister in the first tenure of the Narendra Modi government in 2014, and then was made the Chief Minister of Goa in 2017.
"Manohar Parrikar emerged as the pride of not only Goa but the whole of India. Manohar Parrikar, who introduced what is simplicity, what is authenticity, is not with us today, but the people of Goa can never forget him," Shah said.
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