BJP govt has rid Manipur of the atmosphere of fear: Nadda

Imphal, Dec 24 (PTI) BJP president J P Nadda Friday said the party's government at the Centre and the state has rid Manipur of the "atmosphere of fear" that was witnessed during the Congress rule in the state and urged the people to bring the party back to power in the March 2022 state election.

The BJP government in the state helmed by N Biren Singh has established peace, effected integration, provided infrastructure, empowered women and helped in their uplift in all spheres of life, he said.

"There was an atmosphere of fear in the state. A mother used to fear whether her son would be able to return to the state and a sister did not know whether her brother would return or not. Now, there is no fear after the BJP-led government came to power ... News earlier was about blockades, but now there is none," Nadda, who was addressing a rally of BJP women workers, said.

BJP has ushered in development in the state by innovation, integration and development in infrastructure through the "double engine" (same party rule at the Centre and the state) government, Nadda said.

"The erstwhile Congress government in the state had three 'I's- 'instability, insurgency and inequality... But we have brought innovation, infrastructure and integration through our double-engine (same party rule at the Centre and the state) government," the BJP president said.

He said women in the state have played a remarkable role in the past. The large attendance of the women at the meeting was an indicator of happiness index and the development of a society.

"I now see a new Manipur which has progressed due to the power of women. Manipur and women empowerment are strongly connected," he said and recalled their contribution in the freedom struggle and now in the field of sports and named Mary Kom and Mirabai Chanu.

He highlighted welfare initiatives and developmental works undertaken by the saffron party in the state in the field of healthcare as well as empowering women in all spheres of life and working for their uplift.

Nadda hailed the Biren Singh government for improving the sex ratio and implementing the Centre's 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' programme.

The Centre on its part has given priority to the development in the state with about 300 projects being taken up and 30 of them are under construction. Railway infrastructure too is being strengthened.

Elaborating on various central government's schemes which help in women empowerment, he said around 2.6 lakh women in Manipur did not have access to toilets at their homes. Through the Swachh Bharat Mission, such facilities were built in the state.

He referred to the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana’ (PMUY), a flagship central scheme to make clean cooking fuel such as LPG available to rural and deprived households, and said 1.56 lakh cooking gas connections have been provided in Manipur.

"We (BJP) are working for women empowerment across the country and also in the states. We have several women union ministers. The BJP government is working to bring women forward. The Centre had announced a 33 per cent reservation for women in paramilitary forces," Nadda added.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh highlighted the various citizen centric programmes taken up by the BJP-led government in the state to bring in inclusive development in the state. PTI COR BDC KK KK KK