Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday declared that “infiltrators” would be driven out from every corner of the country, from Kedarnath in the north to Kanyakumari in the south, as he addressed a large rally in Haridwar marking four years of the BJP government in Uttarakhand under Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
“The government is committed to removing every infiltrator from the country,” Shah said at the event held under the programme titled Jan Jan Ki Sarkar, Char Saal Bemisaal.
Dhami Praised for Land Encroachment Action and UCC
Shah specifically commended Dhami for clearing encroachments from 10,000 acres of government land across the state, calling it a demonstration of political will and firm governance. He also praised Uttarakhand for implementing the Uniform Civil Code, saying the law would help prevent what he described as unnatural demographic changes in the state.
On the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, Shah said the names of anyone who is not an Indian citizen should be removed from voter lists. “Clean voter lists are essential for protecting democracy,” he said.
CAA Refugees Have Equal Rights, Says Shah
Shah congratulated refugees who have received Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act, saying that Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and Jain refugees arriving from Pakistan and Afghanistan have as much right to this country as Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself. He said years of appeasement politics had denied them citizenship, but the government would stand firm on its decision despite opposition.
“These refugees came to India to protect their faith and the honour of their families,” he said.
Uttarakhand’s Journey and Central Funding Highlighted
Referring to the state’s formation, Shah recalled that the youth of Uttarakhand had taken to the streets to protect their identity, culture and rights, facing incidents of violence including the Rampur Tiraha firing before statehood was granted. He credited former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with creating Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, and said Prime Minister Modi would now shape and develop them further.
Shah also highlighted the significant increase in central funds flowing to Uttarakhand under the BJP government. Between 2004 and 2014, the state received Rs 54,000 crore from the Centre, while since 2014 it has received Rs 1.87 lakh crore, he said.
Chief Minister Dhami, speaking at the same event, said the people of Uttarakhand had broken political myths in 2022 by returning the BJP to power with a strong mandate. He also credited Shah’s leadership with effectively curbing terrorism and Naxalism across the country, saying areas once marked by fear and unrest were now moving towards development.
