Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah today addressed the concluding ceremony of the Chhattisgarh Rajyotsav in Raipur. On this occasion, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Shri Vijay Sharma, along with several other dignitaries, were present.
Addressing the programme, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that on behalf of the entire people of Chhattisgarh, he extends thanks and pays tributes to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji, because it was Atal Ji who established the state of Chhattisgarh in the year 2000. He said that we knew that as soon as the state was formed, leaders of the opposition party could become the Chief Minister, yet we did not worry about it. Shri Shah said that injustice had been meted out to Chhattisgarh and the development of this region had been stalled. He said that Atal Ji created Chhattisgarh and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji has nurtured it.
Shri Amit Shah, while extending best wishes to the people of Chhattisgarh, especially the tribal community, said that today Chhattisgarh is moving forward on the path of development after becoming Naxal-free. He also congratulated the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and the Chhattisgarh Police for this achievement. He said that today is a day of pride, achievement and resolve. We take pride in the legacy of Atal Ji, who gave Chhattisgarh the identity of a separate state. It is the fulfilment of the resolutions that had been taken for so many years — the resolutions to make a Naxal-free Chhattisgarh and a Naxal-free India have been realised. And along with this, there is the resolve to build a developed Chhattisgarh under the leadership of Modi Ji and Vishnu Deo Ji.
Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that today people from various fields who have made significant contributions to the development of Chhattisgarh were honoured. He said that the message of Guru Ghasidas and the message of service, equality and truth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji — these are the values of Chhattisgarh. Shri Shah said that to keep the folk culture of Chhattisgarh alive, our government organises Chhattisgarh Pandum and Bastar Olympics. The government of Vishnu Deo Sai has given a new identity to cultural heritages like Panthi, Pandavani, Raut, Nacha, Karma and Saila dances, arts such as Dhokra art, Bell Metal, wood craft and Kosa, and the unique 75-day tradition of Bastar Dussehra. Through Bastar Pandum and Bastar Olympics, lakhs of youth have participated in tribal games and revived their culture. Bastar Pandum has once again brought to life the attire, cuisine, songs and dances of this region. At the same time, work is now underway to fulfill the long-pending vision of development of the tribal areas.
Shri Amit Shah said that the people of Chhattisgarh removed the opposition party and gave a mandate to our party, and within just two months of that we took the resolve to eliminate Naxalism. He said that where a cultural corridor should have existed, a Red Corridor was created. In the forests where mahua, tendu leaves and folk songs should have been, landmines were laid. The child who should have held a pen in his hand was abducted from school and handed a gun. Where the school bell should have rung, the school building itself was blown up, and the person who was to build the road meant to bring development was burnt alive in front of his family. He questioned those who support Naxalism in the name of human rights: Does human rights belong only to those who take up guns and halt development? Do the poor tribals not have human rights? Shri Shah said that the Modi government has shown that poor tribals too have human rights. He said that those whose hands and feet were blown off in bomb blasts over the past 30 years have been provided artificial limbs in an effort to make their lives easier. The Home Minister said that those who sit far away and write long articles offering advice did not have the courage to come here and stay even for a single day. He said that he invites such people not to be afraid — no one will kill them here now. Come and experience the breeze of development. If Shri Ram awakens in your heart, then write a couple of articles on their pain.
Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that the opposition party had always supported Naxalism. He stated that in 2010, a senior minister in the opposition party's central government had said that Naxalites did not need to surrender their weapons; they simply needed to stop creating disturbances. Shri Shah said that violence cannot be stopped in this manner. Union Home Minister stated that he had clearly declared in Parliament that anyone wishing to surrender should lay down their arms and surrender, and the government would bring them into the mainstream. Otherwise, security personnel would confront them. He said that the appeal to armed Naxalites to surrender had yielded positive results: only 10 per cent of the Naxalites were killed, while 90 per cent surrendered. Today, the entire country has become free of Naxalism. This is the policy of Shri Narendra Modi-led government. He further stated that those who abide by the law will be treated as ordinary citizens. However, anyone who violates the law, whether in Bastar, the Northeast or Kashmir, will be dealt with firmly by security forces to protect citizens.
Shri Amit Shah said that the opposition party had always supported unconstitutional establishments and mock parliaments. He stated that the Naxalites had established a parallel government called the Jantana Sarkar in Chhattisgarh. It had its own Home Minister, Chief Minister, Finance Minister and other officials. Shri Shah questioned which Constitution permitted a parallel government such as the Jantana Sarkar and who had authorised them to deliver justice. He said that several innocent journalists, social workers and students had been hanged from trees by the Naxalites. He alleged that opposition leaders had continued to support such activities in Parliament. He said that earlier, the opposition had supported the fake Jantana Sarkar and other unconstitutional governments, and now it had gone a step further by creating a mock parliament and making a mockery of Parliament itself. He accused the opposition of organising a mock parliament and staging a debate merely for show. The Home Minister told the Leader of the Opposition that the Modi government was ready to discuss every issue. He said that the government was willing to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss SIR and challenged the opposition to demonstrate its courage by debating the issue before the people of the country. He further said that carrying a copy of the Constitution in one's hand does not amount to respecting it; one's conduct must reflect constitutional values. He accused the opposition of repeatedly disrupting Parliament and bringing its proceedings to a standstill. He urged the opposition to allow Parliament to function and engage in a direct debate. He said that the people of the country would then be able to judge who was speaking the truth and who was spreading falsehoods.
Union Home Minister said that the leadership trio comprising the Chief Minister and both Deputy Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh had fulfilled more than 70 per cent of the guarantees made by the Modi government in a very short period. He stated that the 33rd installment under the Mahtari Vandan Yojana had been transferred to the mothers and sisters of Chhattisgarh. Paddy procurement is underway, while sectors such as agriculture, forest produce, animal husbandry and MSMEs are achieving their targets. He said that Chhattisgarh is now Naxal-free and expressed confidence that, in the coming years, the state would rank among the top three states in the tourism sector. He highlighted the tourism potential of Chhattisgarh, mentioning Chitrakote Falls, Tirathgarh Falls, Kanger Valley National Park, Maa Bamleshwari Temple, Maa Danteshwari Temple in Dantewada and the Bastar Dussehra festival. He said that all these destinations and cultural attractions have the potential to attract tourists from across the world to Chhattisgarh.
Shri Amit Shah said that it was often said in the past that the land was rich, but its people were poor. However, within the next 10 years, both the land and its people will be prosperous. This is Modi Ji's guarantee. He said that the goal is to build a prosperous and happy society alongside a prosperous and flourishing land. He stated that the state's annual budget had increased 30-fold, while per capita income had risen 17-fold. The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of a state like Chhattisgarh had grown 25-fold. He further highlighted the expansion of educational infrastructure, stating that the number of ITI institutions had doubled, engineering colleges had tripled, polytechnic colleges had increased six-fold, and colleges and universities had also grown six-fold. He said that his government had increased the state's literacy rate from 65 per cent to 79 per cent. He said that our government’s fourth term in office in the state would take the people of Chhattisgarh from fear to trust and from resources to prosperity. By transforming possibilities into achievements, the government would work towards building a prosperous and happy Chhattisgarh.