HARIDWAR: Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a sharp attack on the Congress party during his visit to Uttarakhand on Saturday, declaring that the central government remains resolute in implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) despite persistent opposition from political rivals.
Addressing a massive gathering in Haridwar, Shah underscored the government’s commitment to providing refuge and dignity to persecuted minorities, while also unveiling over Rs 1,100 crore worth of development projects for the Himalayan state.
Shah asserted that the government would not waver in its mission to protect those fleeing religious persecution. During the event, the Home Minister handed out citizenship certificates to five refugees from Pakistan and Afghanistan.
"These individuals have suffered immense trauma. They came to our country to protect their religion, their families, and the dignity of their women," Shah said. In a direct attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Shah said, "Rahul Baba, no matter how much you oppose this, we will ensure they get citizenship. This country belongs to them just as it belongs to everyone else."
He accused previous governments of denying these refugees their rights for decades, citing the "politics of appeasement" as the primary reason for their long wait for legal status.
During his visit to Uttarakhand, Shah digitally inaugurated the state's "e-Zero FIR" system, allowing citizens to file reports remotely via the 1930 toll-free helpline.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who accompanied the Home Minister, presented him with the first copy of an e-Zero FIR registered in the Almora district. In addition to the FIR system, Shah launched a series of development initiatives, including the release of a book titled Vikalp Rahit Sankalp (Resolution without alternative), which chronicles the achievements of the Dhami administration over the last four years.
Reflecting on the history of Uttarakhand, Shah invoked the sacrifices made by the state’s youth during the fight for separate statehood. He contrasted the current administration with the Congress regimes of the past, accusing the latter of suppressing the movement.
"The people of Uttarakhand have not forgotten the Rampur Tiraha incident," Shah remarked, crediting former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with the eventual creation of the state. He added that while Vajpayee laid the foundation for states like Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now "nurturing them toward prosperity."
Shah also lauded Chief Minister Dhami’s tough stance on corruption and recruitment irregularities, contrasting it with what he termed the "cash-for-jobs" culture under previous Congress governments. Shah rallied the crowd, urging them to secure a third term for the BJP government and stressing that Uttarakhand’s voice must keep resonating strongly in New Delhi.
