Congress snatched rights of Himachal Pradesh, BJP safeguarded it: JP Nadda

By Nishant Ketu
Kangra (Himachal Pradesh) [India], April 22 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda on Friday attacked the Congress saying that the grand old party has always snatched the rights of Himachal Pradesh while the BJP government has safeguarded the rights and worked for the good of the state.
Addressing a public rally in Kangra, the BJP national president said, "The Congress party has always snatched the rights of Himachal, not always given what Himachal should have got, rather it has also snatched what was given from the front. BJP has always safeguarded the rights and worked for the good of Himachal Pradesh."
Nadda further said that during former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's tenure, they took back the state's special category status but when Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, he gave back the special category status to the state.
"Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister in 1987. At that time, the 9th Financial Commission came to Himachal, whose chairman was purely Congressman N KP Salve was there, he took back the special category status of Himachal Pradesh. When Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014, he himself made Himachal Pradesh as before by giving special category state status," said Nadda.
"If we used to spend Rs 100 in the schemes of the Center, then Rs 90 were given by the Center and Rs 10 by the state government but N KP Salve snatched this right of Himachal Pradesh with the blessings of Rajiv Gandhi. Now, the Centre gives Rs 60 Centers and state have to give Rs 40," he added.
The BJP president further said that it was decided in the smart city plan that 500 crores is the upper limit for Shimla and Dharamshala.
"Out the 500 crores, Rs 250 crore will be given by the state government and Rs 250 crore by the central government. But the central government made a special provision and said that Rs 450 crore would be given by the central government and Rs 50 crore by the state government in the smart city project in Himachal," he said.
Referring to the development projects in Himachal Pradesh, he said that the Atal Tunnel, whose foundation stone was laid by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2002, was not completed even after many years. But, when Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, this tunnel was completed within five years.
The BJP national president said that earlier no one had even thought that an institute like AIIMS would come up in a small state like Himachal but the Modi government has given AIIMS to Himachal, a satellite centre of PGI, and four medical colleges to the state within five years.
He further said that the culture of politics of the country has changed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Congress leaders only talk about dynastic politics, casteism, communalism, and regionalism. But PM Modi has taken development forward by giving a tough competition to all this," Nadda added.
He said that the BJP leaders only talk about development because the BJP government is accountable and is full of nationalism.
Counting the achievements of the central and state government in the field of COVID-19 vaccination, the BJP President said that PM Modi has given health protection cover by putting 187 crore vaccines.
"Today everyone is sitting in this public meeting without a mask, so all this has been possible because of the vaccine. India also gave vaccines to other countries like Maldives, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Afghanistan. The reason for this is that today there is an accountable government at the Center and in Himachal. This is a pro-active, pro-responsive government," he said.
Further slamming the Congress government, the BJP leader said, "Hepatitis B drug was introduced in 1965, but came to India in 2002. This means that at that time the remaining medicines in the world were available to India. The medicine for chickenpox came to America in 1995 but came to India in 2005. BCG vaccine came to the world in 1921 while it came to India in 1948. Polio vaccine came to the world in 1955, but it came to India in 1985."
Nadda further said that the Congress government in Uttar Pradesh lasted 40 years, but none of their chief ministers could complete five years, nor could they become chief ministers again.
He said the trend of voting has also changed. If the people of the opposition understand this, then it will be good for them.
"With the blessings of PM Modi and the tenacity of Yogi Adityanath, he became the first Chief Minister of independent India to take oath for the second consecutive time after completing five years. In Uttar Pradesh, after 37 years, if the government of any party has come again, then it is the BJP government under the leadership of Yogi," he added.
Talking about the evacuation of Indian students stranded in Ukraine amid the Ukraine-Russia war, the BJP chief said, "When there was a need of bringing our people back from Ukraine, it was India that repatriated its people. Even people from Pakistan used Indian flags to get into safer havens out of the warzone."
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections are scheduled to be held this year.