Chhattisgarh polls: Congress MPs ridicule BJP’s claims of development

Raipur, November 14

Congress MPs Satpal Maharaj and Mohsina Kidwai have ridiculed BJP government’s claims of development and said its wrong policies rather hampered State’s progress and put it among anarchic states. The two while interacting with media persons separately on Thursday felt that the BJP’s days were numbered in State as swing was in favour of Congress.

“The objective of carving Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand from Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar respectively was to develop these new constituted states, but Chhattisgarh lagged in all sectors,” said Satpal Maharaj.

“I have travelled rural pockets of Chhattisagrh and discovered that nothing has been done for villagers. The State’s rural road infrastructure is worst among newly formed states. There are primary and community health centres in villages but sans doctors and support staff,” he said.

Sharing his experience of tribal Chhattisgarh he said the people were compelled to live in dejected condition. “The government has acquired lands of tribal people but not giving them comprehensive rehabilitation package,” the former union minister added.

He claimed that high turnout in Bastar was an indication that people no more want BJP in power. He said people of Chhattisgarh would reject CM Raman Singh as the people of Uttarakhand did with former BJP CM BC Khanduri.

The Rajya Sabha MP Mohsina Kidwai said naxalsim spread-eagled in State because the BJP government ignored development in tribal regions. She said top-rung Congress leaders became victim of Maoists on May 25 this year due to BJP’s negligence towards their security.

“Nobody is secure in the State, thanks to the government’s recklessness that has turned this tribal populated region into naxal and criminal hub,” she said.

Pointing towards Jhaliyamari incident she said even students in government’s ashram schools (residential schools), especially in remote tribal areas, were not secure.

“The incident exposed government’s claims of congenial study atmosphere in schools run by it. The government was expected to keep strong vigil in all ashram schools through regular inspection but failed to do so,” she added.