Amit Shah hits out at Congress ‘appeasement’ politics on Uttarakhand campaign
“The Congress has always done appeasement politics without working for the development and welfare of the poor,” Shah said at a public rally at the Bannu school ground in the state capital.
The Congress party always plays “appeasement politics,” Union home minister Amit Shah said on Saturday while launching the Bharatiya Janata Party’s campaign for the 2022 Uttarakhand assembly elections.

“The Congress has always done appeasement politics without working for the development and welfare of the poor,” Shah said at a public rally at the Bannu school ground in the state capital. “During one of my visits to Dehradun during the Congress rule before 2017, my motorcade was stopped on the national highway. I was told that it was Friday. The national highway was blocked for Friday prayers. The Congress government even thought of declaring a holiday on Friday.”
Uttarakhand has developed on all fronts under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Shah said, seeking another mandate for his party.
“A total of ₹85,000 crore has been invested in various development projects in Uttarakhand in the last five years under Prime Minister Modi’s rule, while there was nothing for the state during the 10 years of UPA rule,” Shah said, referring to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance that was in power in the Centre from 2004 to 2014.
“Don’t make a mistake by electing Congress, which you know will only indulge in corruption and scams,” Shah said.
The home minister inaugurated three initiatives of the state government, including the Ghasiyari Welfare Scheme aimed at providing fodder at ₹2 per kg in the hilly areas of the state. The other two schemes he launched were computerisation of agricultural societies in Uttarakhand and establishment of a cooperative training centre.
“All these steps will help in the further development of Uttarakhand,” shah said. “Our young chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is doing a commendable job for the state.”
Pointing to how Modi led the restoration work at the Kedarnath temple, Shah said the Congress under the leadership of former CM Harish Rawat “didn’t carry out those work during its rule after the 2013 tragedy.” In one of India’s worst natural disasters, a cloudburst in Uttarakhand in June 2013 destroyed the pilgrimage site at Kedarnath and damaged the shrine.
“It was because they were afraid that they will lose their vote bank,” he said. “But Rawat saab (Harish Rawat), we don’t fear anyone because Kedarnath and Badrinath temples are not just the pride of Uttarakhand, but the whole country.”
The Congress cannot do anything for the people of the state, the minister said, describing it as a party that is “visible only at the time of elections.”
Rawat could not be reached for comments despite several attempts. However, state Congress president Ganesh Godiyal hit back at Shah, saying, “The people of Uttarakhand won’t forgive him for attacking Rawat.”
“His visit will only be remembered for his attack on Rawat, instead of trying to heal the wounds of the victims of recent disaster...BJP will face defeat in the 2022 elections,” said Godiyal.
