Cites surgical strikes, Operation Sindoor
Dehradun, Nov 6: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday invoked surgical strikes and Operation Sindoor to assert that the Modi Government had responded decisively to threats against India’s security, stating that enemies had been eliminated in their own territories.
Without naming Pakistan, Shah said those who dared to challenge India had been given a befitting response through surgical strikes and Operation Sindoor.
Addressing the ‘Uttarakhand Rajyotsav Samaroh’ here, he said: “They (Congress) used to say that if roads are made, China will attempt to make intrusions. But we did build roads, and PM Modi built the country in a way that today no one will dare to touch India’s borders.”
He accused the Congress of avoiding road construction and stalling several developmental works in Uttarakhand’s border areas for fear of Chinese intrusion.
Shah further accused the previous Congress government of keeping the state away from development due to fears of border incursions, while asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had transformed border villages into the country’s ‘first villages’.
Remembering former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Shah said the people of the hill region had struggled for years for the creation of Uttarakhand, alleging that the Congress and Samajwadi Party had committed numerous atrocities against the youth to prevent the formation of the state.
He said Vajpayee fulfilled the long-standing demand by establishing Uttarakhand on November 9, 2000, and paid tribute to those who lost their lives during the statehood movement.
Asserting that the BJP had played a pivotal role in the creation and development of Uttarakhand, Shah said while Vajpayee created the state, Prime Minister Modi had undertaken its beautification.
He said the BJP had resolved to make Uttarakhand the first state to achieve developed-state status by 2047 as part of the ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision.
“We must fulfil the dreams of those who sacrificed their lives for the motherland, preserve our cultural heritage and environment, and ensure that the youth follow the path of patriotism and valour,” he said.
Expressing confidence that the BJP would form the government for a third consecutive term in the state, Shah targeted Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, saying his visits to Uttarakhand would make no difference.
“Our party workers are tirelessly working day and night to resolve the problems of the people of Devbhoomi. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is actively driving development in Uttarakhand by focusing on key initiatives,” he said.
Citing the state’s economic performance, Shah said Uttarakhand’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) had grown by 50 per cent since 2022, while the per capita income of its residents had increased by 40 per cent. Industrial projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore had also hit the ground, with work underway, he added.
Referring to the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Shah asserted that no one in Uttarakhand could marry four times and no woman could be given triple talaq.
“We will gradually implement the UCC in all BJP-ruled states,” he said.
He also said the state government had made the anti-cheating law so stringent that courts would face no difficulty in punishing those involved in paper leaks.
Shah credited the BJP government led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami with introducing the anti-conversion law in the state.
Questioning former Chief Minister Harish Rawat, he asked whether he had undertaken any work during his tenure that people of the state would remember, alleging that the Congress had instead tried to prevent the formation of Uttarakhand.
Shah alleged that the Congress had left the state as a ‘money order economy’ and framed policies that did not benefit the people.
He said people would have to decide whether to vote for the BJP, which had brought development to the state, or Rahul Gandhi’s party, which he accused of corruption.
Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, Shah described Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ as a ‘Ghuspathiya Bachao Yatra’, accusing him of pushing a false narrative.
Expressing confidence ahead of next year’s Assembly elections, Shah said the BJP had scored a hat-trick in several states and Uttarakhand would be next in line.
