Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Hitting out at senior Congress leaders Digvijay Singh and Kamal Nath over their recent statements on the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and the coronavirus situation, respectively, BJP president J P Nadda on Thursday accused them of creating confusion in the minds of people.
Addressing a day-long meeting of Madhya Pradesh BJP's executive committee virtually from New Delhi, he said that these (Congress) leaders forget that they are actually speaking out against the country.
Referring to Singh's recent statement made in a Clubhouse chat, in which he purportedly heard saying that the decision of revoking Article 370 and reducing the statehood of J&K was "extremely sad" and the Congress party "would certainly have to have a relook on this issue", Nadda said, "You have seen what kind of excellent views he has on the abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A." "The things that they and their prime ministers were unable to do, the determination of our prime minister (Narendra Modi) and (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah's strategy decimated Article 370 and 35A and made Kashmir an inseparable part of the country," he said.
A meeting is also underway on the Kashmir issue with the PM to discuss ways for taking Kashmir forward, he said.
"They should understand that Kashmir today is free from Article 370 and 35 A. But (Digvijay) Singh is pained by it and therefore, indulges in different discussions in the Clubhouse on the issue," Nadda said.
Similarly, (Kamal) Nath, while criticising the BJP and the prime minister, said that India is not great, but infamous in the world, Nadda said on the Madhya Pradesh Congress chief's recent statement over the government's handling of the COVID-19 situation.
"What kind of words he is using. See his mentality. If you want to criticize the BJP, do it, but why are you defaming the great country in the process," he said.
"Their main aim is to create confusion in the minds of the people and it is their habit," Nadda alleged.
Referring to the erstwhile Nath-led Congress government in MP that collapsed in March 2020 after 15 months of rule, he said it came to power after three five-year terms of the BJP government in the state, and added that everybody had seen how it functioned.
"Transfers, commission and corruption ruled the state under Nath. No projects were allowed to start unless people starting it paid donations at the chief minister's residence. The development works were stalled and the state was turned into a 'mission commission' instead of 'mission progress'. All sections of the society got nothing except cheating," he alleged.
Nadda said that because of the "right-minded people" like Jyotiradiya Scindia and as the party leaders thought that there is a need to dislodge that government, the BJP came back to power in the state.
The BJP chief also lashed out at the Congress leaders for creating hurdles in dealing with the COVID-19 situation in the country by criticizing the Modi government.
He praised Modi's leadership and said that no stone was left unturned in saving 130 crore people of the country during the pandemic.
During the second wave of COVID-19, when there was a crisis of medical oxygen supply in the country, the nation's capacity of 900 MT oxygen was raised to 9,446 MT in a short period of time by ensuring its availability road, air and water network, he added.
He also praised the Indian Air Force for playing a key role in ensuring availability of medical oxygen in the country.
On the COVID-19 vaccination, he said that Congress leaders should feel ashamed for raising questions over the issue as vaccines for chicken pox in the country (during their party's rule) came after 15 years of the arrival in the world and that of polio after 30 years of its eradication from the world.
"But under Modi's leadership, two vaccines were developed against COVID-19 in just nine months," he said, accusing the Congress leaders of indulging in criticism and demoralising the people of the country.
Nadda termed the development of vaccines against COVID-19 as the "largest and fastest" programme in the world.
"By December 19, companies in the country will start manufacturing vaccines. By that time, 257 crore doses of vaccines will be available, which means two-doses each for all and there is a budget of Rs 35,000 crore for it," he said.
He added that even the World Health Organisation (WHO) has praised Modi's leadership in dealing with the situation, which he said was "not a small thing".
Nadda also listed a number of achievements of the governments under Modi and Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and urged the party workers to inform people about these things.
He criticised the Congress party for "teaching lessons of democracy" to the BJP, and reminded it of the "excesses" if committed against the opposition leaders during the Emergency.
MP BJP president Vishnu Dutt Sharma and state chief minister also addressed the meeting.
