The much-publicised visit of Union home minister Amit Shah to Dantewada of poll-bound Chhattisgarh to flag-off the first phase of BJP ‘Parivartan Yatra’ (rally of change) got cancelled in the nick of time on Tuesday, apparently due to bad weather.
The ruling Congress, however, took potshots at the opposition party in state, attributing the cancellation of Shah’s visit to lack of crowd at the proposed public meeting.
The two-phase ‘Parivartan Yatra’—one starting from Dantewada in South Chhattisgarh from Tuesday and another from Jashpur in North Chhattisgarh from September 16—is being taken out with the slogan ‘aur nahi sahibo; badal ke rahibo’ (we won’t tolerate anymore; we will change).
Later in the day, Union minister Smriti Irani reached Jagdalpur in Bastar and was expected to participate in the Parivartan Yatra. The yatra was flagged off by BJP Chhattisgarh in-charge Om Mathur.
After the flag-off programme was over at Dantewada, Chhattisgarh BJP posted on social media platform X about cancellation of Shah’s visit. The post also indirectly sought to deny the Congress’s jibe about lack of crowd at the venue.
“The winds of change are blowing in Chhattisgarh and people of the state are again talking of bringing back the BJP. This sea of people gathered in Dantewada is a direct proof of the misgovernance of the Congress government. Today, Union minister of home and cooperatives, Amit Shah was going to address the people of Chhattisgarh who are desperate for change, but due to bad weather, he is unable to be present here. This crowd of people shows that change is certain in Chhattisgarh and the people of Chhattisgarh are eager to uproot this unjust and tyrannical Congress government,” the post said.
The Chhattisgarh Congress however retorted on X with a video apparently showing senior BJP leaders on the Dantewada venue dais, with little crowd in front. “The story of Amit Shah's tour being canceled in just 36 seconds; the public did not reach the “Parivartan Yatra”… See the sweat of BJP leaders on the AC (air-conditioned) dais,” Congress captioned the video.
Earlier, too, the Congress had posted on X about the tour cancellation, saying “Big news: BJP's alleged "Parivartan Yatra" flopped. Public did not reach Dantewada; Amit Shah's tour cancelled’.
‘Drive out Congress to form double-engine govt’
Speaking at the event before the flag-off of the yatra, state BJP president Arun Sao who will lead the first phase rally said, “The people of Dantewada know how to remove someone who they put in power. Bhupesh Baghel and 12 MLAs of Bastar are looting the poor SC-ST and OBC people. There are deaths and target killing in Bastar. The Congress government is cheating and deceiving the youth, farmers, laborers and women. They are deprived of houses under PM Aawas Yojana. Youth need jobs. Bastar needs electricity, water and roads. Only the BJP government can provide all this. Everyone is saying that Modi ji will become the prime minister again in 2024. To form a double engine government, it is necessary to drive out the Congress government and form a BJP government in Chhattisgarh.”
Ex-chief minister Raman Singh, who was also present on the occasion, said “Bhupesh Baghel's government has indulged only in corruption for the entire five years. It is not us, but the ED who is saying this. There were only scams including that of rice, liquor, coal, DMF and forest produce. In 2003, the biggest problem of Bastar was that salt was given in exchange of char, chironji, gum and other forest produce. Salt is not a small issue, it is a matter related to the self-respect of Bastar. BJP provided rice salt at Re 1 per kg and free to the people who were surviving on kodo-kutki and gruel. Tendupatta bonus of Rs 1280 crore was given and footwear was provided to collectors. All this was stopped by the Bhupesh government. Change is necessary.”
The first phase of the yatra will travel 1,728 kms in 16 days and conclude in Bilaspur. There will be 45 public meetings, 32 welcome meetings and five road shows during the yatra.
The second yatra to be led by leader of opposition Narayan Chandel will be flagged off by BJP national president J.P. Nadda from Jashpur on September 16. This phase will travel 1261 kms in 12 days and will include 39 public meetings, 53 welcome meetings and two road shows.
Both yatras will conclude on September 28 at Bilaspur where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to participate in the concluding programme.