BJP govt in Chhattisgarh failed on all fronts, says Pilot; Dy CM says he should look after own party

Raipur, Jun 24 (PTI) Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Tuesday accused the Vishnu Deo Sai-led Chhattisgarh government of failing on all fronts in the last one-and a half years, as he targeted it over a string of issues, including over Rs 37,000 crore loan and "deteriorating" law and order situation.

The BJP intends to give mines and minerals to just a few selected people, he claimed, adding that playing communal politics is the policy of the saffron party.

Reacting sharply to Pilot's remarks, state Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao said the Congress leader should look after the affairs of his own party in view of its current political "plight".

Addressing a press conference at Rajiv Bhavan, the Congress' state headquarters here, Pilot, who is the party's Chhattisgarh in-charge, said party president Mallikarjun Kharge will address a public rally titled 'Kisan, Jawan, Samvidhan' (Farmer, Youth and the Constitution) in Raipur on July 7.

"The BJP government has failed on every front. As many as 17 welfare schemes functional in the state during the previous Congress government were discontinued by the BJP so that the former would not get credit for it," he said.

The government has taken a loan of more than Rs 37,000 crore in just one-and-a-half years. The law and order situation has deteriorated. The SP and Collector offices were burnt (in Balodabazar) in the state, while incidents of murder, rape, loot, robbery are on the rise. People are dying in police custody. The government has failed to fulfil the promises made to farmers, Pilot claimed.

"Congress has always been in favour of investment and industry. Apart from the government sector, there should be resources in the private sector and employment opportunities should be provided to educated boys and girls. Congress framed many such policies in the central and state government, but this dispensation has been giving the 'jal, jungle and zamin' (water, forest and land) of the state and the neighbouring states to a select few people, and now they are doing it blatantly without any hesitation," he said.

Congress party is in favour of industry, but there should be competition and transparency. Everyone should get equal opportunity, he added.

Accusing the BJP of resorting to polarisation, Pilot said, "BJP has always had a policy that when everything fails, they indulge in communal politics. BJP has always created the narrative of temple-mosque Hindu-Muslim." He also alleged that the BJP government was ignoring several demands of farmers.

The double engine government of BJP (at the Centre and state) has failed to ensure adequate supply of fertilizers to farmers. The state requires 3 lakh metric tonnes of DAP fertilizer, but the government has so far been able to deliver only 80,000 metric tonnes of DAP to the societies, Pilot added.

On the state government's move of rationalisation of government schools and teachers, he said, "The BJP (in their manifesto) promised 1 lakh government jobs but instead of filling up 30,000 vacant jobs for teachers they are shutting schools down in name of rationalisation." "Rationalisation is an anti-employment, anti-education step. The rationalisation process will end the posts of more than 45,000 teachers in the state and has resulted in shutting down of 10,463 government schools," he claimed.

The BJP government has been harassing Congress leaders to hide its failure, but the grand old party will fight against it strongly, he said.

Hitting back at Pilot over his statements, deputy CM Sao said the Congress leader should look after the affairs of his own party.

"Pilot should worry about Congress' plight in the last one-and-a-half years in Chhattisgarh. Congress has suffered a massive defeat in the assembly elections (2023), Lok Sabha polls (2024), Raipur City South assembly by-polls last year and then in panchayat and urban body elections. Pilot should take care of his own party," he said.

Sao said the people of Chhattisgarh have repeatedly expressed their faith in the Sai-led government.

"People's blessings have given strength and power to the government. We are fulfilling each and every guarantee (poll promises) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji," he added. PTI TKP NP