Almost four months into his tenure and just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has hit the campaign trail in the state. In an interview with The Indian Express, he exudes confidence that the BJP will keep up its good performance in the Lok Sabha elections — the party won 10 of the 11 parliamentary seats in 2014 and bagged nine in 2019 — and speaks on wide-ranging issues such as the attacks on the Christian community, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest, and the Maoist problem.
Excerpts:
One of “Modi ki guarantees” is the promise to fill one lakh jobs transparently. Efforts towards this will begin after the Lok Sabha elections. We will focus on creating new posts and try to get investments in the industrial sector as well.
We are not against any religion but are against the trade they are doing while exploiting people’s illiteracy or through the temptation of benefits … They are forcibly converting people and I am against that. We are a secular country and a person is free to follow any religion that he or she wants … They must serve (the people) but not indulge in trade.
Let them stop these (forced) conversions and the fight will end. Let them serve the people but it is not right to tell them that we will cure you if you embrace Christianity.
In the previous Congress government, anti-Naxal operations were very weak. We heard Naxals referred to the previous government as “our government”. Our double-engine government strengthened the fight against them. Our Home Minister (Vijay Sharma) is also concerned about it. On the other hand, we have also taken a stand to ensure justice for those Naxals who want to surrender. We can have a dialogue if they (Maoists) give up arms and join the mainstream.
This issue pertains to the Central government and I do not want to comment on it.
People have lost faith in the Congress. In the run-up to the 2018 Assembly elections, they made 36 promises but could not fully implement even one in five years. They looted Chhattisgarh, be it coal, liquor, sand or land. Their leaders have been in jail for over a year even as courts are refusing them bail. No one wants to even contest as a Congress candidate. They forgot about public service for five years so the people have taught them a lesson.
Central agencies are not the last resort. If they think the agencies are being misused, biased or falsely implicating them, there is a platform to appeal. They must approach it.
We are a democracy. The people, on whom we have full faith, will decide. Our campaigns are getting good responses. Also, Modi ji has worked for everyone’s development over the last decade. Promises like the Ram Temple and abrogation of Article 370, which were made during the Jana Sangh era, were fulfilled.
Within three months of coming to power (in the state), we gave money to farmers and women. The alleged corruption case in the Public Service Commission has been handed over to the CBI. During campaigning, we promised an annual sum of Rs 12,000 for married women. Even as the Congress promised Rs 15,000, no one believed them. Now, they are promising Rs 1 lakh but people will not believe them even if they promise Rs 5 lakh.
This is not true. The investigation into the case began while they (Congress) were in power. An accused in the case claims he has given “protection money” to him (Baghel). It is not related to the BJP or elections.