Mandla (Madhya Pradesh): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday accused the Congress of resorting to "minority appeasement" and said the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in contrast focuses on the welfare of tribals, Dalits, the poor and backward classes.
Shah also expressed confidence that his party will win more than 150 seats in the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, which are due in November this year.
He was addressing a public rally during a function organised to flag off the BJP's 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra', a mass-contact programme, in Mandla of Mahakaushal region.
Quoting former PM Manmohan Singh's statement that minorities must have the first claim on resources, Shah said the Congress was too much into "appeasement of minorities" but the situation changed when Modi became the PM in 2014.
After becoming PM, Modi said that his government would work for the welfare of tribals, Dalits, the poor and backward classes who have the right to resources, Shah said.
"Now, you have to choose between these two ideologies," said the Union minister.
'BJP increased tribal welfare budget'
Shah said that during 9 years of the BJP rule, the Modi government at the Centre has worked for these sections.
The budget for tribal welfare has been increased to Rs 1.19 lakh crore by the Modi government from Rs 24,000 crore during the Manmohan Singh government, he said.
The BJP is taking out 'Jan Ashirwad Yatras' from five different places in MP. These programmes will culminate on September 25 in Bhopal with a 'Karyakarta Mahakumbh'. PM Modi is expected to address BJP workers in the state capital that day, party functionaries said earlier.
Following his Mandla engagement on Tuesday, Shah will head for Sheopur in the Gwalior-Chambal region where too he will address a public rally after inaugurating another 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra', according to a party spokesperson.
