Congress challenges BJP’s 27 years with showcase of its own rule in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD:  The BJP on Tuesday launched the party’s ‘Vande Gujarat Vikas’ Yatra” to spread awareness among the voters of poll-bound Gujarat about the development works under the BJP rule in over two decades.

The opposition Congress has decided to counter it with “27 years of Congress vs. 27 years of BJP.”

Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said the party’s focus was on 27 years of its governance.

“We built infrastructure for all the groups. The party will keep up its fight for the rights of tribals, the youth, and the poor.”

On the ‘27 years of Congress vs. 27 years of BJP,’ Doshi said that before the BJP government came to power, Gujarat was as prosperous as it is today.

“The BJP government is sending ‘development chariots’ to spread confusion among the people. If that party really developed the state, then there is no need for such yatras,” said Doshi.

“We have decided to expose such false propaganda of the BJP in the coming elections. The Congress’ ‘27 years of governance’ campaign has been started on Wednesday. We will expose the state government’s claims on works done for the tribal communities,” said the state Congress chief.

He accused the BJP of having misused government schools for the Vikas Yatra. He said the state government issued a circular stating that children between the ages of 6 and 14 years studying in government primary schools would have to write essays and draw pictures on the government’s 20-year development works.

“This circular asks each district officer to keep schools clean before the arrival of Gujarat Vikas Rath. The schools have also been told to organise ‘prabhatpheris’ (morning processions) with the participation of all 
the students and teachers,” he said.

“This how the government is forcing schools to go with the ruling party in the state,” Doshi added.