Dehradun, Nov 6 Union Home Minister Amit Shah called for a “hat-trick” in Uttarakhand, setting a target of winning more than 65 seats in the upcoming assembly elections.
Addressing a public rally here on the occasion of the 26th Foundation Day of Uttarakhand, Shah said that when the Congress is in power, it advocates for a “Muslim university”, while the BJP was clearing government land from encroachment by removing “illegal shrines and madrasas”.
He also said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “vote bachao yatra” was a “ghuspetiya bachao” yatra, as he called for the removal of “infiltrators” from the electoral rolls and the country.
In his address at the rally, Shah asserted that the BJP is set to form the government in Uttarakhand once again and said the “voice of Uttarakhand” should reach Rahul Gandhi.
“BJP aims to make Uttarakhand a secure and prosperous state, and to transform ‘Devbhoomi’ into the cultural capital of the country,” Shah said, as he set a target of winning more than 65 seats in the polls set to be held early next year. The state has 70 assembly constituencies.
Shah said, “When Congress comes to power, they advocate for a Muslim university, while the BJP is freeing government land from encroachment by removing illegal shrines (mazar) and madrasas.”
“Rahul Gandhi was miffed” when encroachment was ordered to be removed from 29 acres land in Haldwani, the minister claimed, referring to a land dispute in the town.
Shah urged party workers to conduct door-to-door outreach and ensure the formation of a BJP government for the third consecutive term. Pointing to the party’s performance—securing 57 seats in 2017 and 47 seats in 2022—he called for achieving the target of “crossing 65 seats” this time.
Shah said that Rahul Gandhi’s “vote bachao yatra”, in reality, is a ‘ghuspethiya (infiltrator) bachao yatra’.
He further claimed that the tourism sector in Uttarakhand has witnessed a 380 per cent growth. Highlighting government efforts to curb migration, he noted that the government has shifted the focus from a “money-order economy” to an “industrial economy.”
“Rahul ji, your attempts at tourism in the state will not help, as thousands of BJP workers are continuously working to solve problems of locals across the state. The Modi-Dhami are working together to ensure that development of Uttarakhand govt does not stop,” said Shah.
Referring to the surgical strikes, air strikes, and “Operation Sindoor,” Shah stated that the Modi government has strengthened the security of the nation’s borders.
“When Congress was in power, they used to say that if roads are made, then the enemy will enter (the country)…we made roads and developed the country in such a manner that no enemy can enter the country now…We have also worked to ensure that migration stops and an industrial economy is set up in Uttarakhand,” said Shah.
He also highlighted development projects worth Rs 270 crore being implemented in 51 border villages under the ‘Vibrant Village’ programme.
Before him, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami addressed the rally.
He said that “some individuals” tend to question EVMs and the electoral process whenever they lose an election.
People of the state will no longer be tricked by the Congress party’s misleading narratives, he said.
Dhami also questioned the Congress party’s silence regarding the “insult” to National Security Advisor Ajit Doval who is from Uttarakhand. He was referring to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks ahead of the INDIA bloc’s planned anti-CEC demonstrations, in which he called PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, RRS chief Mohan Bhagwat, CEC Gyanesh Kumar and NSA Ajit Doval “villains of this story”.
Dhami also asked why Congress leaders were not speaking out against their ally Akhilesh Yadav’s characterisation of the people of Uttarakhand as “infiltrators.”
The chief minister further claimed that his government has sent over 100 members of the “exam-cheating mafia” to jail and has provided government jobs to more than 35,000 youths—all without any instances of cheating or corruption.
(PTI News)
