Amit Shah reminds traders of '200-day-long curfew' under Congress

Ahmedabad, Nov 29: Often cornered over the issue of half-baked implementation of GST and traders' anguish, the BJP has sought to counter these by reminding the business community about the alleged nightmarish days they had to face during Congress rule especially between 1980 and 1995.

BJP Amit Shah told a India TV programme on Tuesday night that no matter whatever claims and charges the Congress leadership make, the truth of the matter is between 1980 and 1995, "traders in Gujarat suffered heavily due to corruption and deteriorating law and order situation".
"The GST troubles are one thing, what is more important is life. At one point of time during Congress rule, housewives used to confine themselves into prayer room every evening praying so that the trader husband returns home safe and sound. The business people had to make separate investment plans taking into consideration the bribe amount. Under BJP, these are matter of past," he said.
It was in 1995 when Congress last had its government in the state. 
Mr Shah also sought to remind the voters of Gujarat about curfew that used to last for 200 days. "If you had a problem with the fridge, even the repairman could not come due to law and order situation and curfew. Gujarat has seen all that," he remarked.
He said politics is "not like business" and hence the Congress decision to virtually 'outsource' its entire electioneering in Gujarat will not yield expected dividends. 
Referring to Congress campaign managers banking heavily on youth and community-based leaders like
Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakore and Jignesh Mevani, Mr Shah said such a stance only reflects "bankruptcy" in the Congress party.
"They were bound to outsource leaders. They don't have a Chief Ministerial face. In business ,you can benefit 
by outsourcing but you cannot get benefit in politics," he said adding in the election season, the people of Gujarat wants to know about the Chief Minister who can take the state forward. 
The BJP chief said the 'caste battle lines' were brought into Gujarat politics by the Congress and yet
again they are trying the same.
With regard GST implementation, he sought to make light of the argument that traders and business communities' anguish will harm BJP's poll prospects, he said, "GST is globally regarded as a major economic reform strategy".
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is personally looking into all the problems being faced by traders on the GST issue," he said and maintained that whatever troubles people are facing so far is only part of the transition phase. 
"In three to four months, GST will emerge as a model consumer law replacing 18 different laws, and inspector raj will end," he said. 
About BJP's future programmes in next five years - if it returns to power - the BJP chief said, "Development is a continuous process and the party will remain focused towards the same.
There would be multiple welfare measures including for the tribals and all other communities.
He urged the voters not to fall prey to the misleading campaign including on faulty statistics.
"What comes out from Congress platform is untrue. If you want to get clarification about any facts and figures, you can refer to the the Gujarat government's websites," Mr Shah said. UNI