Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Sunday dubbed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's rally in Una a "flop show" and termed the BJP's rule historic for the soldiers and martyrs.
The BJP leader said that Gandhi's political career was a flop and so was his Una rally.
"Chhote miyan (Sukhu's) guarantees were not fulfilled in the state and now bade miyan (Rahul) gave two to four more guarantees," he said.
Referring to the Agniveer Yojana, Thakur said that 25 per cent of the youth will remain permanently in the army while reservation would be given for the remaining in central para military forces and state police, and there would be 100 per cent job guarantee for those becoming Agniveer.
Mentioning the works done by the BJP governments for the former and present serving soldiers in military-dominated areas, Thakur said that before 1998, when a soldier attained martyrdom, only a trunk would come to his house, indicating the sacrifice of their brother and son.
However, during the tenure of BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the mortal remains of those who were martyred in the Kargil war were not only taken to their homes with respect, but the government also provided compensation to the families in the form of petrol pumps or gas agencies or in lump sum, he added.
The BJP leader said that Vajpayee's government strengthened the army, tested nuclear bombs while India bought Rafale aircraft during the Narendra Modi regime.
"India is making the BrahMos missile, Vikrant, Tejas aircraft along with bullet proof jackets as well as modern weapons," Thakur said, adding the nation is producing defence equipments worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore.
Whereas between 2004 and 2014, the Congress always kept complaining about lack of money for the purchase of defence equipments, he said.
Escalating his attack on the Congress, Thakur said, "Even after 16 months of formation of the Congress government in the state, not even a single guarantee is fulfilled and the mothers and sisters are waiting for Rs 1,500 per month while the youth is awaiting five lakh jobs. The people of Himachal are waiting for 300 units of free electricity."
The Congress leaders do not say anything on these issues but instead keep spreading new misconceptions, he added.
Thakur said Gandhi not only bears ill will towards the media, the fourth pillar of democracy, but also incites his workers to take violent action against them.
He claimed that when Gandhi was attacking the media from the stage in Una, at the same time the Congress workers were attacking the media colleagues and snatching their cameras.
Meanwhile, former chief minister and BJP leader Prem Kumar Dhumal said the Congress party, which had stopped the pension of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, the great son of Mother India, does not have the right to talk about soldiers.
In a statement issued here, Dhumal said that Prime Minister Modi is giving job to the youth for four years under the Agniveer Yojana and lakhs of rupees after their retirement along with assurance of next employment.
He alleged the Congress, which takes money from China for the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, often criticizes Beijing to show it to the world, but Rahul Gandhi's love for China comes to his face again and again.
