Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a programme titled 'Jan-Jan Ki Sarkar: Char Saal Bemisaal' in Uttarakhand, recalling the state’s long struggle for identity and rights. He said that during the movement, the youth bravely came out on the streets to protect their culture and heritage but faced “suppression” by the Congress and Samajwadi Party.
Shah credited former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for officially creating Uttarakhand, calling him a key figure who fulfilled the aspirations of the people of the state.
Speaking about the achievements of the BJP government in Uttarakhand, he said, “Today, the Dhami ji's government is completing four years, and the BJP government is also completing nine years…Through this govt, I have come to tell the people of Uttarakhand that there was a time when the state was fighting for its own identity and rights. To save the culture of Uttarakhand, its youth fought. At the time, the Congress party and Samajwadi Party suppressed the youth of the state…”
New development initiatives announced
He also announced new development initiatives, including projects worth Rs 1,132 crore being inaugurated in the state. Shah said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, old colonial-era laws have been scrapped and replaced with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, with full implementation expected by 2028.
The Home Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to granting citizenship to refugees. He said, “Today, around 200 people who have come here from Pakistan and Afghanistan have been granted citizenship. When I brought the CAA law, many parties including Congress, SP, BSP, Mamata and DMK opposed it. Hindu refugees from Afghanistan and Pakistan have the same right to this country as PM Modi does. Due to appeasement politics, they were kept deprived of citizenship. Rahul Baba, no matter how much you protest, we will grant citizenship to such people.”
CM Dhami praises historic legal reforms
Before Shah’s speech, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami spoke about the significance of these steps.
He said, “A historic step has been taken to realize the dream of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’. By implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act, Hindu refugees who were neglected for years have been given respect and security. It is the result of your firm resolve that today the repressive British laws with a mindset of slavery are being abolished, and through new laws including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the justice system has been made in accordance with Indian ethos, where justice, not punishment, is important.”
