Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday raised the difficulty of large-scale reducing of timber in Chhattisgarh forests and referred to as on the folks of the state to stay united within the struggle to guard their “jal, jungle and zameen (water, forest, land)”.
Addressing an occasion — ‘Kisan, Jawan and Samvidhan (farmers, youth and Structure) — in Raipur, Kharge raised a volley of points within the state beneath the BJP authorities and alleged that Union Minister for Dwelling Affairs Amit Shah was visiting Chhattisgarh a number of occasions not for the welfare of the native folks “however for its pure sources”.
“They’re reducing lakhs of timber (in Hasdeo Forest) and oxygen ranges are taking place. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is destroying the lives of our tribal brothers and the folks of Chhattisgarh… Many corporates are coming right here to loot minerals like coal and iron… And Modi and Shah are supporting them,” mentioned the Congress president.
“Our jal, jungle and zameen must be protected and therefore we must be united… They (BJP) say we made (Droupadi) Murmu President, (Ram Nath) Kovind President, however why? To steal our sources, our jungle, jal and zameen. Right this moment folks like Adani and Ambani are occupying it,” he mentioned.
Concentrating on Shah, who has visited Chhattisgarh a number of occasions since 2024 to take inventory of the anti-Maoist operations, Kharge mentioned, “Why is (Amit) Shah coming repeatedly… to not see your situation however to search out out the place iron, metal and coal are. He isn’t coming right here for anything.”
He claimed that Shah, who can be the Cooperation Minister, will make wealthy folks administrators in India’s first nationwide cooperative college and dared him to nominate folks from poor households to the posts.
“Shah is organising a cooperative federal college… for whom? Not for the poor however the wealthy who can be made its administrators. After I was the cooperation minister in Karnataka… I ensured folks from poor households obtained an opportunity to develop into administrators in cooperative societies. I dare you (Shah) to do that.”
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Calling Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai “a slave who takes directions from Delhi earlier than taking any determination”, Kharge mentioned, “No matter our CM (former CM Bhupesh Baghel) mentioned used to occur. Can he (Sai) do this? No matter Shah and Modi-ji say…he follows their directions. The Chief Minister sits when requested to take a seat and stands when he’s requested to face. Therefore, he was made the CM… He bears all insults… That is additionally an insult to Chhattisgarh.”
The Congress president claimed liquor retailers are rising in Chhattisgarh. “They shut all of the 17 welfare schemes began by the Congress authorities in Chhattisgarh however opened 67 new liquor retailers… Spurious liquor can be being offered. We introduced the Meals Safety Act for the poor. However they’re promoting liquor which is able to have an effect on your well being.”
Kharge accused the state authorities of not offering diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer to farmers, not taking steps to examine rising costs of petrol, diesel, LPG, not offering Minimal Assist Worth (MSP) on forest produce just like the earlier Congress authorities used to do, not performing on the Reservation Invoice handed by earlier authorities and awaiting the Governor’s nod, amongst different points. He alleged the BJP was attempting to intimidate “everybody” within the nation and misusing central probe companies in opposition to its opponents.
Hitting out at PM Modi, Kharge mentioned he had time to journey to overseas nations, however has no time to go to Manipur, which has been seeing ethnic clashes since Might 2023.
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“The BJP has been attempting to intimidate our leaders utilizing central companies just like the ED and I-T, however we are going to by no means be scared. Our get together leaders in Chhattisgarh, together with former CM (Baghel), are being harassed,” he instructed the gathering.
“They (BJP) additionally tried to implicate (Congress leaders) Sonia Gandhi and Rahul ji within the Nationwide Herald case. They all the time attempt to defame the Congress,” Kharge maintained.
The BJP makes a lot of guarantees earlier than polls, however forgets them after coming to energy, the Congress president mentioned.