New BJP govt in Madhya Pradesh to arrange Ayodhya visit for residents of state: Amit Shah

Bhopal: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said if the BJP retains power in Madhya Pradesh, its government will arrange 'darshan' at the Ram temple in Ayodhya for people from the state. Addressing a rally in Sironj assembly seat of Vidisha district, Shah alleged that Congress leaders were in politics for the welfare of their sons and daughters. Shah said when he was the BJP president, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi used to ask for the date of the Ram temple construction. “I am saying that there will be consecration of Lord Ram's idol in Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) on January 22, 2024,” he said.

The senior BJP leader asked those gathered at the rally if they will spend money to visit Ayodhya to offer prayers at the newly constructed temple of Lord Ram. “Don't spend money. If the BJP government is formed in Madhya Pradesh, it will gradually arrange for darshan of Lord Ram in Ayodhya for people of the state one-by-one,” he said, adding this is part of his party's promises made in the manifesto for the state polls scheduled on November 17. Talking about guarantees announced by the opposition Congress, Shah said "what is the guarantee of those who do not have their own guarantee?" The UPA government under Manmohan Singh during its 10-year tenure gave Rs 2 lakh crore for Madhya Pradesh, he said. The Modi government provided Rs 6.35 lakh crore for MP in nine years, Shah said, adding that Rs 5 lakh crore were additionally provided under various schemes.

The Congress gave slogans to remove poverty, instead they have "removed the poor", he said. “In Madhya Pradesh, Rs 21,000 crore were deposited into the bank accounts of 93 lakh farmers at the rate of Rs 6,000 per year… I am telling you today to elect a BJP government...This double engine government (of BJP at the Centre and in the state) is going to take this Rs 6,000 to Rs 12,000,” he said. Shah also said medical treatment is free up to Rs 5 lakh, which will be increased up to Rs 10 lakh, if the BJP comes to power in the state. “While on one side, there is a dynastic party Congress, on the other side there is the BJP under Narendra Modi to protect the country," he said. Before the formation of BJP government in 2003, Madhya Pradesh was led by “Mr Bantadhar Digvijaya Singh” who turned MP into a BIMARU (laggard) state during his 10-year rule, the Union minister said.

The BJP, in its 18 years of being in power in MP, has pulled the state out from the BIMARU status and made it “Bemisal (unparalleled) Madhya Pradesh," he said. In the next five years, the BJP will turn Madhya Pradesh from "bemisal to best," he added. Shah claimed that MP Congress president Kamal Nath and Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh wanted their sons to become chief minister of the state, while (former Congress chief) Sonia Gandhi wants her son “Rahul Baba” to become the prime minister. "Can those who are in politics for their sons and daughters do good for Madhya Pradesh or the country? This can be done only by the BJP of Modi and his group of patriots,” he said.

When the Congress was ousted from power, the budget (size) of Madhya Pradesh was at Rs 23,000 crore, which was increased to Rs 3.14 lakh crore by the BJP government, Shah further said. Shah asked the gathering if the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir was a correct step or not, and said Rahul Gandhi had opposed it claiming it would result in a "blood bath" in Kashmir, but nothing (of that sort) has happened since the past four years. PM Modi put the country among top five economies in the world, he added.