Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Bharatiya Janata Party in alliance with the NISHAD Party would win over 300 seats in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections because only the BJP worked for the development of society while parties like Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party only worked for their kin and their caste.
Addressing the first joint rally of Nishad Samaj and BJP coined 'Sarkar Banao Adhikar Pao', at Ramabai Ambedkar Grounds in Lucknow on Friday, Shah said that the response to this rally and the enthusiasm shown by the members of NISHAD Party were a clear indication that this alliance would sweep the next elections.
“We will win not less than 300 seats,” Shah said and the crowd cheered in unison.
The Union minister also asked the members of Nishad community to spread the message of good work done by the governments at the Centre and in UP.
“Go to villages with lotus in your hands and ask the people to vote for the BJP,” he said.
In his 40-minute address, Shah stressed on welfare steps initiated by both the Union and UP governments for the fishing community.
“We have created a separate department for fisheries. We got the credit cards made for the fishermen and have given constitutional status to the Commission for Backwards. When the BJP returns to power in Uttar Pradesh, the other demands of the Nishad society will be fulfilled,” he promised.
The Union home minister said that the SP and BSP worked only for their castes but Modi ji worked for every section of society.
“Modi made a separate ministry for you (Nishads). The SP and BSP used to say that they work for the Backwards, but never ensured constitutional recognition to the Backwards. On the other hand, the BJP did the work of providing constitutional rights to the Backward Classes,” he said.
The NISHAD - Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal – is the apt acronym of the fishing community to which this party belongs. The party forged an alliance with the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the tie-up continues in the imminent assembly elections in UP.
Shah also lent a religious twist by highlighting the association of Nishads with Lord Ram.
“Nishad was the first to accompany Lord Ram to exile. Today I want to remind you that we have seen Lord Shri Rama in a tarpaulin at Ayodhya, but Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation of a grand temple,” he said.
The Union minister also spoke about the inauguration of Kashi Vishwanath Corridor and how it has added sheen to the grandeur of Varanasi.
“On one hand, the BJP is building temples and, on the other, it is building hospitals and schools too. The prime minister, time and again has said that his government is dedicated to the poor, backward and tribals”, he said.
Shah also elaborated on the achievements of the Yogi Adityanath government, saying that Uttar Pradesh was no longer a den of criminals.
“Criminals, who used to call the shots, have been thrown out of the state by Yogi and are now begging for their lives,” he said.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, NISHAD Party chief Sanjay Nishad, Union Minister and UP election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, BJP state president Swatantra Dev Singh also spoke on the occasion.