The people of Karnataka should choose a double engine government in the State by voting for BJP in the May 10 Assembly elections instead of a ‘reverse gear’ government of the Congress, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday.
Addressing a massive gathering here, he said the Central government led by Narendra Modi had brought various schemes worth Rs 2,26,418 crore during the last four years in Karnataka, whereas the previous UPA government provided only Rs 99,000 crore to the State during their rule.
"A reverse gear government by Congress will only turn Karnataka into their ATM state. The BJP has to come to power to ensure prosperity, development and peace," he said.
Shah asked the people not to trust the Congress who had backed the Popular Front of India (PFI) while they were in power for political advantage. The BJP government banned the organisation and threw its leaders behind bars, he said.
The BJP’s declared policy is zero tolerance towards extremist activities, Shah said, while Congress tried to divide the society during their governance.
The ‘guarantee card’ released by the Congress will not work in Karnataka. "The survival of the Congress is not guaranteed. Who will trust their guarantee card for governance," he asked.
"Corruption, appeasement politics and family rule are their only guarantees," Shah charged.
The Union Minister said the people have rejected Congress guarantee schemes issued in Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Uttar Pradesh during the elections. The people of Karnataka will follow suit, he said and urged the voters in the coast region not to give a single seat to the Congress in the region.
He said the BJP government in Karnataka scrapped the four per cent reservation for Muslims and enhanced quota for Lingayats, Vokkaligas, OBC and SC-ST sections as the party believed in equality. "Even Ambedkar was not in favour of quota based on religion," he said.
Listing the achievements of the NDA government led by Narendra Modi, he said the 10 years of UPA rule under Manmohan Singh can in no way be compared to the nine years of development works carried out by the BJP government led by Modi. "The entire world recognises Modi’s achievements and is proud of him," he said.
Lashing out at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s remark that Prime Minister Modi is like a poisonous snake, Shah said no one will make such comments against Modi. Such attempts to defame the Prime Minister should be opposed, he said.
He highlighted the subsidy schemes for fishermen in the coastal area and the benefits extended to them during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Centre had also imposed import duty on arecanut to help growers to get an impressive income.
Shah also cautioned the people against voting for the Janata Dal (S) candidates in the State. "The JD(S) is a B team of the Congress and a vote to them will only mean a vote to Congress," he said.
The Union Minister said a vote for the BJP in 2023 will ensure development of Karnataka through a double engine government and lay the foundation for a BJP government at the Centre led by Modi in 2024 also.
Karnataka goes to polls on May 10 and the results will be declared on May 13