JAMMU: Union minister Jitendra Singh today took a dig at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on the BJP and the ‘Gujarat model’ of development, and said the people have given their verdict in the recent assembly polls.
“This is an evidence-based era. India of today, Gujarat of today is that of the youth, who constitute more than 70 per cent of the country’s population and go by evidence, facts and figures,” Singh told reporters after leading a rally to mark the victory of the party in the recent Gujarat assembly polls.
Reacting to the statement of Gandhi alleging that the entire architecture, structure and foundation of the ruling party was based on “lies” and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Gujarat model’ was “flawed and fake”, the Union Minister of State in the PMO said the youths of Gujarat know who is telling a lie and they have given their verdict.
The BJP is ruling the state for the last 21 years and registered a win for sixth time which is a big achievement in itself, Singh, who was election co-incharge of the party for Gujarat elections, said.
“The revolutionary transformation which Gujarat has witnessed is not only a case model itself but it is also a case study, for example, the desert of Kutch which is today an international tourist resort.
“As far as his description of Gujarat model not existing is concerned, I have said this earlier also, 125 crore Indians are witness to the ‘vikas’ (development) happening in Gujarat. How does it matter that one person is not able to see it?” he asked.
He said the facts and figures show that 99 per cent enrolment in educational institutions in Gujarat with just three per cent drop-out rate and a 3.6-per cent increase in agricultural land contradicts the questions the Congress president is putting one after the other.
“The whole world knows that the safest place for women to live in is Gujarat. You find women coming home late at night after their work shift and festivities. I don’t know which part of Gujarat Rahul visited to find women feeling unsafe,” Singh said.
Earlier addressing the rally, he said visiting temples at the time of elections is not “worship but a sin”, taking a dig at Gandhi.
“Drama was enacted but it was rejected by the people of Gujarat. The business community of Surat has given a message to the businesses across the country. Surat, which is home to the world’s biggest textile industry, gave 12 seats to the BJP and expressed their faith in the party and the leadership of Modi,” he said.
Taking a swipe and Gandhi and her mother and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, he said the voters are aware that the country is not run from the kitchen where “the decisions are taken by mother-son duo”.
In reply to a question about National Conference legislator Abdul Majeed Larmi describing slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani as a “martyr”, he said, “As far as we are concerned they are all terrorists and we cannot describe a terrorist as a martyr. They should show this regard to security personnel to whom the nation is eternally indebted.” (AGENCIES)
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