Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday attacked the Congress and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), alleging that terror attacks during their tenure went unanswered, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi set a “new tradition” of retaliation following the 2019 Pulwama attack.
Addressing a BJP public meeting in Karaikal in the Union Territory of Puducherry, Shah paid tribute to the 40 CRPF personnel killed in the February 14, 2019 attack.
“On 14 February 2019, our 40 CRPF jawans were martyred in Pulwama. I wholeheartedly want to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for the country,” he said.
Shah alleged that during the UPA regime, Pakistani terrorists carried out attacks on Indian soldiers without facing strong consequences.
“During the Congress regime, Pakistani terrorists carried out attacks on our soldiers. During the UPA period, neither the Prime Minister nor the Defence Minister used to give any reaction. But PM Modi created a new tradition. In 2019, an airstrike was carried out, entering their territory and eliminating the terrorists in Pakistan,” he said, referring to India’s retaliatory Balakot airstrikes.
The Home Minister said the rally had two main objectives, to present the report card of the “double-engine government” led by PM Modi at the Centre and Chief Minister N Rangaswamy in Puducherry, and to “expose and unmask” what he termed the “trinity power” of the UPA and the INDIA alliance.
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“Today, this grand assembly has two objectives. The first objective is to present before you the report of the work accomplished by the double-engine government under the leadership of PM Modi ji and Rangaswamy ji. The second objective is precisely to expose and unmask the trinity power of the UPA and INDIA alliance,” Shah said.
Beginning his address by bowing to the “great land of Puducherry,” Shah sought forgiveness for not speaking in Tamil and expressed respect for the region’s cultural heritage.
Highlighting the NDA government’s performance in the Union Territory over the past five years, he said the administration had achieved three major goals: eradicating corruption, ensuring political stability, and strengthening Puducherry’s autonomy.
“Five years ago, the people of Puducherry formed an NDA government here under the leadership of PM Modi ji and Rangaswamy ji. And this government has accomplished three things: First, it has eradicated corruption here. Second, the previous Congress government here had turned Puducherry into an ATM for its masters in Delhi. Whereas we have worked to make Puducherry an autonomous UT. The third thing we have done is to bring political stability to Puducherry,” he said.
Shah is set to formally launch the BJP’s election campaign in Karaikal ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls.
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