Kabirdham (Chhattisgarh)/IBNS: In a sarcasm-laced assault, Union Home Affairs and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Friday described Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel as a “prepaid CM” of the Congress.

Addressing a public meeting in this district headquarters of election-bound Chhattisgarh, Shah alleged, “If by mistake he continues in office then the Congress will use this prepaid card daily to siphon away thousands of crores. If all this money goes to Delhi, then how will this state’s development take place? Baghel has stopped the vikas yatra (development journey).”

Accusing the Chief Minister of playing appeasement and vote-bank politics, the Union Home Minister said that the former is akin to an ATM that is looting Chhattisgarh’s treasure and offering the money at the feet of the “brother-sister” pair in Delhi.

“Numerous scams have been perpetrated over the past half a decade. As soon as they see Mr Baghel, Chhattisgarh’s youth say ‘30-taka Bhupesh Kakka’. A liquor scam caused a loss of Rs 2,000 cr; coal transport Rs 540 cr; Gothan scheme Rs 1,300 cr and Public Distribution System Rs 600 cr. Bribery through the medium of the Public Service Commission resulted in jobs being given to undeserving candidates,” he saidd.

“I have been present in the political arena since 1980 but never witnessed a cow dung scam. In what manner does that man’s mind function? The Baghel dispensation reneged on promises such as prohibition, halving of power bills, and doubling of irrigated area. Atrocities against tribal folk and women intensified and Naxalism spurted."

Government machinery was misused to convert indigent adivasis resulting in eruption of struggle at the village level. I challenge Mr Baghel to a public debate on his activities versus Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s work,” Shah said.

[With UNI inputs]