Vasco (Goa) [India], Jan. 23 : Launching a frontal attack on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for his unwarranted criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Monday reached out to the voters in Goa while highlighting his party's development agenda.
"Recently, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asked PM Modi what he has given to the country in the last two-and-a-half years.
I would like to answer him in place of Modi ji. Firstly, we have given the nation a Prime Minister who can speak and you had given a leader whose voice could be heard nowhere except in front of you and your mother," he added.
Addressing a rally in the poll-bound state, Shah alleged that the Congress is synonymous with corruption and the people must vote for stability and development.
Shah said, "The elections are touted as a contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress.
If the BJP comes to power, there would be stability and development in the state. If the Congress wins again, there will again be corruption all around." "The people of Goa have to choose between development and corruption.
And I have faith the people won't falter," he added. Praising the incumbent Chief Minister Laxmikant Parserkar, Shah blamed the Congress rule for the stunted growth of the mining industry in the state.
He said, "Parserkar ji has given so much to the state. And when the Congress was the ruling party, it gave so many scandals to Goa that the development of the state had almost stopped.
The development of the state depends on its mining industry. It's because of the Congress government that the mining industry of the state was in shatters." Shah also lauded Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
He said, "The department which has worked the most in Modi ji's rule is Parrikar's. Surgical strikes are the true introduction to the BJP government. When a strong political will, leadership and military prowess come together, then only can the borders of the nation remain terror-free." "For the last 40 years, people had been complaining about One Rank One Pension (OROP) and nobody paid heed.
But when the BJP came into power in 2014, they gave a nod to OROP. Till now, Rs. 8,000 crore have been disbursed to their account," Shah added. Highlighting the development works done by the BJP government in the last five years in the state, Shah said he was amazed by the Laadli Laxmi Yojana and has seen no other scheme which compares to it.
He also said if people want more reasons to vote for the BJP, they should compare the Goa of the present with that of the Goa that existed five years ago.
Shah also remarked that demonetisaton of the high-end currency notes was an excellent move to curb black money in the nation and alleged other parties like the Congress of insecurity.
"The BJP government has waged a war against the black money in the nation. Earlier, everybody wanted something to be done to curb black money, but when finally demonetisation was brought, these people started whining," he said.
Ahead of the assembly polls in Goa, the BJP is bringing its senior leaders to the forefront to hit the election campaign with the slogan 'Once Again BJP'.
Other senior leaders including Chief Minister Parserkar, BJP Goa unit president Vinay Tendulkar and Parrikar are also expected to address rallies in different cities of the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior leader Venkaiah Naidu are also scheduled to address public meetings.
The BJP has fielded candidates in 36 constituencies and has extended support to Independents on four seats.
Goa goes to polls on February 4..
Source: ANI
