Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday launched the election campaign of BJP in Haryana ahead of the October Assembly elections and said the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed article 370 which the Congress had kept pending for 72 years.
In his speech, Shah applauded Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal for the efforts he made towards proving transparent governance and making the system corruption free by eliminating the middlemen.
Addressing Aastha Rally organised by former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha MP, Ch. Birender Singh, he said that whenever he visited Jind, he has always received lot of support of its people. "I had come to Eklavya Stadium five years ago as National President of BJP to make Ch Birender Singh member of BJP. After that, I had visited Haryana during Assembly Elections and with the majority votes of people, BJP party formed its government. This year, people supported BJP in all 10 seats in the Lok Sabha Elections," he said.
On the first death anniversary of former Prime Minister, Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he first paid floral tributes to his statue and said revoking of Article 370 and Section 35A from Jammu and Kashmir was a dream of Vajpayee.
"Congress Government had kept the matter hanging for 72 years, but the strong willed Prime Minister, Narendra Modi removed Article 370 and Section 35A within 75 days after the BJP got over 300 seats for the second time, and paved way for building an Akandh Bharat," Shah said.
The Home Minister said that the revoking of these sections is true tribute to the brave soldiers of Haryana who got martyrdom in Kashmir. He said that Kashmir would now be on the path of development as there are two union territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir. "BJP has always talked about the removal of Article 370 and Section 35A and we did it," he said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has never done any vote bank politics, he has always talked in clarity.
Shah said that on the occasion of Independence Day, Prime Minister has announced the creation of Chief of Defence Services Staff, for better coordination of Army, Navy and Air Force under one chief. "This will increase the country's defence capability," he said.
Describing Haryana as the land of farmers and soldiers, Shah said that the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, which was earlier meant for farmers up to two and a half hectares or five acres, has now announced to be increased. Apart from this, it has also been announced to implement the pension scheme for small traders.
He said that it is Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s dream to provide clean drinking water in the taps of every home and every school of the country. For this, a provision of Rs 25 lakh crore has been made to develop infrastructure in rural areas and water conservation campaign has been launched.
Referring to Haryana, he said that in the last five years, Chief Minister, Manohar Lal has done a lot of work in Haryana and made the state a kerosene-free state.
Similarly, earlier the number of women police stations was two, which has now increased to 31. Under Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign the sex ratio which was earlier 871 girls per 1,000 boys has now reached 918. There are separate buses for women on 181 routes. The ex-gratia amount given to the dependents of the martyrs has been increased from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. Similarly, the per capita income has increased from Rs 1,45,000 to Rs 2,26,644. A large airport would be constructed in Hisar at a cost of Rs.200 crore.
In his speech, Chief Minister Manohar Lal said that he (Shah) has come as an Iron Home Minister of the country, who did the work which the country had been waiting for the last 72 years, removal of Article 370 and Section 35A. The Chief Minister said that despite being two percent of the country's population, the army of the country comprises ten percent of soldiers of Haryana. He said that nationalism and patriotism is in the blood of Haryana. He said that Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel was successful in merging all the princely states of the country expect for Jammu and Kashmir. But Amit Shah has also made that Jammu and Kashmir a part of Akhand Bharat.
The Chief Minister said that during the last nearly five years of our tenure, we have done more than our promises. Be it educated Panchayats, online teachers transfer policy, farmers, laborers, businessmen, traders, students, women or ex-servicemen, we have worked for the welfare of all. Manohar Lal said that we are preparing the data base of the family.
He said that a scheme is being prepared to provide financial assistance of Rs 6000 per month to families with income of Rs 1,80,000 per annum. He said that a government official or politician would go to the door to the needy family to ask for their need, there would be no need to come to the government offices.
The Chief Minister assured Shah that the government is working with the spirit of service and such an atmosphere had been created.
He said that both the public and the administration have understood this. He said that the people elected us first in the elections of the municipal corporations of Faridabad and Gurugram, then in the direct election of the mayor of five municipal corporations followed by the bye-election of Jind assembly and then the Lok Sabha. The Chief Minister said that we will go among the people with a pledge of new Haryana.
Other spoke on the occasion included Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare Minister, O.P.Dhankar,Transport Minister, Krishan Panwar, Women and Child Development Minister, Kavita Jain and Minister of State for Cooperation, Manish Grover, amongst others.