New Delhi | Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday attacked the Congress for its ‘disappointment’ before 2013 and said people are wondering whether the multi-party system was working.
Amit Shah said the state of the country during the Congress rule was such that the common man was clueless as to where the nation was headed and whether the leadership was actually able to steer the country out of this mess.
“I am taking you back so that you realise (the situation in) 2019. I also accept that if you look only at 2019, there is a lot to be done. You will realise the gains when you look back. Thirty years of coalitions ended and for the first time, a non-Congress party got a majority. A story of development began,” he said.
“After nearly 70 years of independence, there was a question in the minds of the people whether the vision of the founding fathers had really been realised. Whether the multi-party democratic system had failed to fulfil the aspirations of the citizens of the country,” he said, addressing an event here.
Amit Shah pointed out that PM himself was not considered as the PM, and people had serious doubts in the government’s leadership.
“There was widespread corruption, our borders were not secure, and our soldiers were dying every day, there was a total policy paralysis, lack of clear vision of the leadership, the economy was in doldrums, women didn’t feel secure and the youth was disappointed. There was a government where every minister considered himself as the PM, whereas, the PM himself was not considered as PM,” he said.
Talking more on how the “culture of policy paralysis” earlier has transformed into a bold decision making one, Shah said previous governments could take only five decisions in the last 30 years, whereas, the Modi government took over 50 decisions in last five years.
“These included implementing GST, demonetisation, opening Jan Dhan accounts, ending triple talaq, surgical strikes on terrorist camps across the border, one rank one pension… and now removing Article 370 and 35A,” said Amit Shah.
He said the Constitution makers chose a multi-party democratic system after a great deal of thought. “The objective was a welfare state. Everybody was to get their rights and equal opportunities,” he said, stating that UPA’s failures had soured the mood.
“I agree there are many teething problems in initial phases. Which reform doesn’t have teething problems? Such problems are being continuously rectified, but it is also true that only those citizens who are ready to bear some initial difficulty have the right to enjoy the fruits of reforms later,” he said.
Congress reacts to Amit Shah
The Congress criticised Shah’s statement on multi-party democracy and said if accepted, the thinking will deliver a “body blow” to federal India.
Hitting back at Amit Shah, Congress leader Anand Sharma said that only a multi-party system can represent the whole of India.
“Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement belittling India’s multi-party democracy is shocking and indicative of a thinking which, if accepted, will deliver a body blow to federal India. Given India’s rich diversity, only a multi-party system can be inclusive and representative of the Union of India,” Sharma said on Twitter.
“Questioning the collective wisdom of the founding fathers of the constitution is unacceptable. Reminding the BJP that the NDA itself is a multi-party alliance and its member parties have been formed governments in states,” he also said.
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