GUWAHATI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said the BJP would make Manipur drugs-free and solve its insurgency problem if voted to power.
“We have done a lot in Manipur. Give us five more years; we will establish permanent peace in Manipur by holding dialogues with all insurgent groups,” Shah said addressing an election rally in Thoubal which is represented by former Congress Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
He said no youth would be fired upon nor would he go to jail. He will join the mainstream and work for the development of Manipur and the country, Shah added.
Drug abuse is a serious problem in Manipur but Shah promised to rid the state of the problem.
“We will launch a massive drive in the next five years to make Manipur drugs-free,” he said.
Taking on the Congress, Shah said there used to be a blockade in Manipur whenever the previous CM (Ibobi) hinted. He said now, several highways had been built, making the imposition of blockade impossible.
“In the 15 years of Congress rule in Manipur (2002-2017), there were over 600 bandhs and blockades. Under BJP, there has been none. The Narendra Modi government built roads with investments of Rs 16,023 crore. There is a 272% increase in tourists’ footfall in Manipur now,” the Union Home Minister said.
Drawing another comparison, he said the state had no women police station prior to 2017 but the BJP government built one in every district.
“Manipur had no railhead. Modiji brought the state to the country’s railway map with an investment of Rs 12,000 crore,” Shah said.
Last week, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had slammed Modi on the claim. He had said the Congress completed more than 70% of the railway project by 2017.
Shah sought to warm up to the voters by saying it was the BJP that implemented Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Manipur. The ILP is an official travel document that allows the inward travel of an Indian citizen into a protected area for a limited period.
“Ibobi Singh kept knocking on the doors of the Gandhi family but could not implement ILP. Our BJP CM did not have to come to Delhi. Following his phone call request, Modiji gave ILP to Manipur,” Shah said.