BASAVAKALYAN (BIDAR DISTRICT): With more than a year left for elections to the Lok Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah seems to have started campaigning for both the parliamentary and Karnataka Assembly polls. Shah, who spoke for nearly an hour during the Vijaya Sankalpa Yatra in
Basavakalyan town of Bidar district on Friday, said the results of Assembly elections in Northeastern states on Thursday are a clear indication of the mood of the people of not only that region, but of the entire country. People have outright rejected Congress in the Northeast, he said.
Congress is trying to defame BJP and Narendra Modi, but these accusations are making both BJP and the Prime Minister stronger. By vaccinating 130 crore people in the country during Covid, Modi successfully managed to control the pandemic, while big powers lagged, he said.
On the stable economy in the country after Covid, he said India managed to overcome a financial crisis, while neighbouring countries are still struggling, he added.“It was Modi who laid the foundation stone for the Ram Janm Bhumi at Ayodhya, It is Modi who is developing Kashi, Mathura, Badari and Kedar. It is Modi who has freed the people of Jammu and Kashmir of terrorism. It is Modi who repealed Article 370 that had earlier given a special status to Jammu and Kashmir. If people want safety and prosperity of the country and if they want safety of women, they should vote in favour of Modi-led BJP,” Shah said.
Attacking Congress, he said, “Who would become a chief minister if that party wins elections? Senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge was made AICC president only to stop him from eyeing the chief minister’s post. There is a cold war between Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah and KPCC chief DK Shivakumar for the post.”
While BJP respected the culture of Karnataka by honouring Rani Abbakka and Nada Prabhu Kempegowda, Congress encouraged terrorism in the state. Siddaramaiah acted like an ATM to a family of Delhi, he alleged.
He further said that Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi never respected Congress leaders of Karnataka. Indira Gandhi disrespected S Nijalingappa, while Rajiv Gandhi insulted Veerendra Patil, he said.
Though incumbent Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai was present on the dais at the Vijaya Sankalpa Yatra at Basavakalyan, Amit Shah took the name of former CM BS Yediyurappa at the start of his address and called him a popular leader.