Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday released an “Aarop Patra” (chargesheet) against the Bhupesh Baghel government in Chhattisgarh, accusing it of indulging in scams and loot, and committing atrocities against the people of the state, where elections are due by the year-end.
He also accused Chief Minister Baghel of making Chhattisgarh an “ATM of Gandhi Parivar”, and claimed that his government has broken “all records of corruption”.
The Union minister charged the Congress government of not preventing religious conversions in tribal areas of Chhattisgarh for its vote bank politics.
Shah listed out alleged scams related to coal, liquor, online betting being probed by central agencies in the state, and asserted that only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can save Chhattisgarh from the Congress’ scams, atrocities and misrule.
Referring to the money laundering case related to an alleged illegal betting app ‘Mahadev Online Book’, he asked whether people of Chhattisgarh want the Baghel government that is pushing youth to online betting by sending them to Dubai for training and offering them false job promises or a BJP government that works for the development of youths.
“People of Chhattisgarh have to decide whether they want the Bhupesh Baghel government, which has committed corruption to the tune of thousands of crore or BJP government that paves the way for development,” he said.
“People have to decide whether they want the Baghel government that talks about protecting the rights of tribals even as religious conversions flourish under it or the BJP government which protects and preserve tribals and their culture,” he said.
Shah alleged that the Baghel-led government has broken all records of corruption and said If BJP is elected to power, those who indulged in graft will be hung upside down and will be brought in order.
“I have never seen such anarchy in administration in which (district) collectors have become collectors of corruption money. Such kind of administration cannot develop Chhattisgarh,” Shah claimed.
The senior BJP leader expressed confidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government will be elected to power again, and said the BJP will form a government with full majority in Chhattisgarh prior to that.
During its 15 years in power in the state, the BJP worked to fulfil Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s dream of a developed Chhattisgarh, but the Congress, which came to power in 2018, formed a government of loot, corruption, scams and breach of promises, due to which development stalled, he said.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP won 10 out of 11 seats and in the 2019 polls the party won nine seats, while in the 2024 polls, it will be victorious on all 11 seats, Shah said.
“We will bring the state back on the track of development. The upcoming Assembly polls is not just a poll but an election to change the future of Chhattisgarh,” he said.
The Congress government in the state had not properly implemented Central schemes, including the PM Awas Yojana and the Jal Jeevan Mission, he alleged.
“I promise to the people of Chhattisgarh that if BJP is elected to power, every house will have access to clean water supply within two years,” he said.
Shah said 19 of the 36 major promises and 316 other assurances made by the Congress during the 2018 state polls remain unfulfilled, and a complete list of these has been published in the BJP’s ‘Aarop Patra’, which party workers will distribute door-to-door.
Shah also expressed happiness over the successful launch of the Aditya L-1 mission.
The BJP’s state incharge Om Mathur, state BJP chief Arun Sao, former chief minister Raman Singh and other senior party leaders were present on the occasion.
After being in power since 2003, the BJP suffered a crushing defeat in the 2018 Assembly polls at the hands of the Congress, which won 68 seats in the 90-member House.
The BJP won just 15 seats in the last Assembly polls.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)