Jammu, Sept 8 (UNI) Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Sunday said that while for over half a century, Congress practised religious discrimination, BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided equitable share to all regardless of whether he was a Hindu or Muslim or for that matter hailing from any religion or any other caste.
This, he said, is evident from the manner and style in which Modi’s various welfare schemes have been rolled out in the last 10 years.
Addressing a BJP election rally in Banihal and earlier at Ramban, Dr Singh said, successive Congress governments in Jammu & Kashmir developed a culture of providing State welfare benefits based on religious and communal bias.
This, he said, might have given them the benefit of votes but in the long run, it created a divide between different communities and also eroded the cultural and democratic ethos of society.
On the other hand, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, you can take the example of any welfare scheme of the BJP Government and you will realise that it has reached every individual or family in need regardless of their caste or religious affiliation.
Addressing the audience comprising a large number of Muslims, he asked, contrary to what the Congress leaders claim, if had there been one instance, where a deserving Muslim household did not get a Pucca house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna and if there is a single example of that, they should raise their hand.
In response, a large number of Muslims sitting in the audience raised their hands to endorse what Dr. Jitendra Singh was saying and indicated that they had all received a Pucca house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that the BJP under Modi has sought to introduce a new political culture in this country wherein the distribution of State benefits will be determined with objective criteria of who needs it the most.
This, he said, is also going to change the mindset not only of the politicians but also of the common citizens who have been poisoned by the Congress Party's communal politics over the years.
Dr Singh said, that Banihal is the most peripheral region of Jammu division and hardly any national leader visited this place but in the last 11 years, it has received special attention as a result of which today we have a large network of roads, national highways and tunnels built in this small town.
Not only this, he said, Banihal will have the distinction of being an important rail link between Kashmir valley and the rest of India which also was possible only under the Modi government.
Dr Singh reminded that for over the last six decades, NC and Congress MLAs elected from Banihal invariably found a place in the State Cabinet but they never attended this region because they were always driven by their approach of appeasement.
He, appealed to the voters to rise above the religious lines and collectively vote for the BJP to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that this would go a long way in ensuring a bright and secure future for their children, who are going to be the proud citizens of Viksit Bharat.

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