Ahead of the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram claimed on Tuesday that the state was “governed from Delhi,” which is why it had three Chief Ministers in the last six years.
He called the claim of a “dual-engine” government a “empty boast.”
Chidambaram, who was in Ahmedabad to campaign for his party, also chastised the ruling BJP for its “arrogance,” claiming that no one has yet apologised or resigned for the Morbi bridge collapse tragedy, which claimed 135 lives.
Gujarat Assembly elections will be held in two phases on December 1 and 5, with vote counting beginning on December 8.
Chidambaram claimed at a press conference here that “Gujarat is governed from Delhi, not Ahmedabad,” and that this is why the state has had three Chief Ministers in the last six years.
“The boast of a double-engine Government is a hollow one.” Gujarat is a single-bullock cart trudging on a mud path, leaving vast sections of the population behind, particularly Scheduled Tribes, women, youth, and the poor,” he added.
A suspension bridge on the Machchuu river in Gujarat’s Morbi district collapsed on October 30, killing 135 people.
“As far as I know, no one has apologised or resigned for such a massive tragedy.” If this had happened in another country, there would have been immediate resignations.
“There is no accountability for the Morbi tragedy,” Chidambaram said.
“They have not apologised because the government here believes they will easily win the upcoming elections and therefore do not need to be held accountable for the incident.” “The BJP Government and its leaders believe they are not answerable or accountable because the BJP is perched on the pinnacle of arrogance,” he said.
He urged the people of Gujarat to overthrow the BJP government and give the Congress a chance this time.
“People change governments from time to time in all mature parliamentary democracies.” “Every few years or terms, the government must be changed,” the Congress veteran explained.
Why are social indicators like health and education so high in Kerala and Tamil Nadu? Because governments are replaced every five or ten years, he added.
“My appeal to the Gujarati people is to change your government.” Make your democratic right known. Establish the principle of legislative democracy. Governments must be changed on a regular basis. Vote for the Congress party this time. Because you are aware of our track record. “We can and will do better than the BJP,” Chidambaram stated.
When asked if he believes central investigation agencies such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are being abused, Chidambaram responded, “They are handmaidens of the BJP.”
“95% of all cases and arrests made by the ED and CBI are of opposition leaders.” “Anyone who joins the BJP has all cases against them closed and their alleged sins washed away,” he added.
