Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is currently leading Bharat Jodo Yatra in Maharashtra, over his absence from the election campaign in Gujarat and said that Congress has nothing in Gujarat, that's why "Rahul Baba" is not coming to Gujarat for campaigning and is roaming in other places.
While addressing an election rally in Tapi district of Gujarat, the Home Minister further said that ever since the BJP government came to power in Gujarat, there has been development in every field.
"There is a BJP government in Gujarat since 1990 and the Congress is saying that the work of the Congress speaks for itself. When it is not in power since 1990, then what is the work of Congress? Congress misleads the people. The party which has not been in power for ages, then of what work is it talking? Congress should be ashamed. Ever since the BJP government came to power in Gujarat, there has been development in every field," he said.
Shah said that the Modi government has honoured the tribal society by making a tribal woman the President.
"During the Congress rule, there was a budget of Rs 1000 crores for tribals whereas the BJP government has increased the budget to Rs 1 lakh crores. Congress has nothing in Gujarat, that's why Rahul Baba is not coming to Gujarat for campaigning and is roaming in other places," said the Home Minister.
Targeting the Congress for not removing Article 370 from Jammu Kashmir, the Home Minister said the BJP government linked Kashmir with India forever with the abrogation of Article 370 when the Congress kept Article 370 in its lap for 70 years.
"When the Modi government removed Article 370, the Congress was saying that rivers of blood will flow. But when the Article was removed, leave aside the river of blood, no one dared to throw even a stone," said Shah.
Shah said that the Modi government also knows how to give befitting reply to Pakistan and other nations who try to jeopardize the security of the nation.
"In the government of Sonia and Manmohan Singh, Alia, Malia and Jamalia from Pakistan used to run away after beheading our soldiers. But when the Modi government came, there were terrorist attacks in Pulwama and Uri. But they did not know that now there is no Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in India, now there is Narendra Modi. Within 10 days, the Prime Minister entered the house of Pakistan by conducting surgical and air strikes and the soldiers of the country came back safely," he said.
The Home Minister said that the Modi government also bought back the 35,000 students stuck in war-torn Ukraine.
"When there was a war between Ukraine and Russia, 35,000 children of our country were trapped. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the heads of both countries and got the war stopped for two days and the children were brought safely to the country," he said.
Shah further added that in 60 years, Congress did the work of uprooting the poor while the Modi government did the work of uprooting poverty.
The state of Gujarat which has 182 assembly constituencies will go for polling in two phases on December 1 and 5. The counting of votes will occur on December 8, which coincides with Himachal Pradesh's result date.
The ruling party has been in power for over 27 years in Gujarat and will be seeking its seventh term in office.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been Gujarat's longest-serving chief minister from 2001 till 2014.
The state has been a BJP stronghold for a long period and the party has set its sight on returning to power with a handsome majority this time as well.
However, it faces a stiff electoral challenge from the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has named Isudan Gadhvi as its chief ministerial candidate.
Congress is also hoping to put its best electoral foot forward to unseat the BJP government.
( With inputs from ANI )
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