How Modi changed the UPA’s paralysis policy: Amit Shah explains
The UPA policy paralysis has been replaced with a policy driven government by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP's national president Amit Shah said.
Asserting that BJP's return to power in 2019 is "not a challenge but a certainty", Shah projected the next Lok Sabha polls as a contest between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to "remove corruption and poverty" and the Opposition's single-point agenda of 'Modi Hatao'.
On the Modi government's fourth anniversary, Shah listed details of its "successes" and heaped scorn on the likely challenge from Rahul Gandhi-led Congress, saying he may have declared himself a prime ministerial candidate but his bid has not got support from even his party colleagues, let alone other opposition leaders.
Projecting Modi as the "most popular and most hardworking prime minister with unending energy", Shah said he replaced the UPA's policy paralysis with a policy-driven government working for the poor and improved economy while also raising the country's esteem in the world.
Asked about the 'achche din' (good days) promised by the BJP-led ruling alliance when it came to power, Shah said the government has "done a lot to fulfil its promises in four years and one year is still left.
The BJP president came down heavily on the Opposition saying a shocking change has happened in the country's politics with those against the prime minister resorting to lies and speaking it loudly all the time.
"This is something new I am seeing and the Opposition seems to have decided to continue with this tactic till the 2019 polls... Its one-point agenda is 'Modi hatao' (replace Modi) while the BJP and Modi want to remove disorder, corruption and poverty to usher in stability and development," Shah said at a press conference.
Playing
down
the
challenge
from
a
united
opposition,
he
said
people
are
standing
by
Modi
like
a
rock
and
the
prime
minister's
politics
of
performance
will
prevail
over
those
promoting
politics
of
dynasty,
casteism
and
appeasement.
Taking
on
the
Congress,
which
has
accused
the
government
of
peddling
lies
and
Modi
of
harming
the
dignity
of
his
chair,
Shah
said
the
BJP
is
ready
for
a
debate
over
facts
and
figures
about
the
Centre's
achievements.
Countering the charges, the BJP president said the honour of the prime minister's chair had hit rock bottom under the Congress-led UPA, as he took a dig at former prime minister Manmohan Singh, remarking that Modi does not need to seek anybody's permission before taking a decision.
Singh
was
often
accused
by
critics
of
being
guided
by
the
then
Congress
president
Sonia
Gandhi
in
his
decisions.
"The
Congress
will
not
decide
about
the
dignity
of
the
prime
minister's
chair.
People
have
done
it.
They
have
replaced
its
14
state
governments
(with
BJP),"
he
said.
Asked
if
he
saw
a
challenge
from
a
united
opposition
or
Rahul
Gandhi
in
2019,
Shah
said
there
is
no
challenge
and
its
return
to
power
is
a
certainty.
Referring to Gandhi's comments during the Karnataka assembly polls that he may be prime minister if his party gets the required numbers, Shah said no Congress leader came out in support of his statement, nor did opposition leaders like Sharad Pawar, Mamata Banerjee or Akhilesh Yadav.
Asked if the government has delivered on its promises, he said it has made successful efforts to change the lives of 22 crore families, referring to welfare schemes like providing LPG cylinder, houses, electricity and toilets among others to the poor, as also efforts to improve the country's economy and security of its borders.
Whatever be the opposition's lies, those who have befitted from the government schemes will remember it, he said, underlining his party's welfare plank.
To a question about the Telugu Desam Party leaving the NDA and the saffron party's turbulent relations with another key ally Shiv Sena, Shah said he wants its alliance with Sena to continue and added that 11 new parties, including Nitish Kumar-led JD(U), have joined the ruling bloc.
He
also
discounted
the
likely
challenge
from
SP-BSP
alliance
in
UP,
saying
the
media
had
declared
the
grouping
of
"two
boys",
a
reference
to
SP
chief
Akhilesh
Yadav
and
Gandhi,
a
winner
in
the
state
assembly
poll
before
the
results
came,
but
it
was
the
BJP
that
swept
the
election.
Shah
also
said
that
the
BJP's
win
in
104
seats
in
Karnataka
is
a
good
sign
of
its
expansion
in
south
India.
Asked
about
Pakistan's
continued
support
to
terrorism
in
Kashmir
despite
Indian
Army's
operations,
including
surgical
strike,
and
if
war
was
an
option,
he
said,
"War
is
the
last
resort.
It
is
not
an
option.
Maximum
number
of
terrorists
have
been
killed
in
the
last
four
years."
Shah
also
said
the
government
is
also
working
on
long-term
policy
to
deal
with
soaring
petroleum
prices.
He
claimed
that
in
three
years
of
the
UPA
rule,
petrol
and
diesel
prices
were
as
high
as
they
are
now.
He also maintained the BJP's position on the Ram temple issue, saying it wants the issue to be resolved either through courts or dialogue.
Stating that no village is without power now, Shah said the government recently covered 16800 villages, which had over 50 per cent Dalit population, with its seven welfare schemes, Jan Dhan bank account, toilets and LPG cylinder for all homes, and will cover 65000 villages by August 15.
The Modi government ended an era of instability and has delivered on its two key promises, that it will work for the poor, Dalits, tribals, backwards, farmers and village, and that it will raise India's esteem in the world. It has fulfilled both, he said.