In a fierce assault on the Congress, BJP’s Nationwide Media Wing head and candidate of the Garhwal Lok Sabha seat Anil Baluni has reignited a 2017 controversy. In 2017, Congress chief Sandeep Dikshit had known as Late Chief of Defence Workers (CDS) Common Bipin Rawat “sadak ka gunda (goon on the road)”. Baluni has hit out on the Congress, calling it an “insult” to not simply Garhwal, the place Common Rawat belonged, however each resident of Uttarakhand.
India’s first Chief of Defence Workers Common Bipin Rawat died in a chopper crash in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris district, at a hilly space between Coimbatore and Sulur on December 8, 2021.
Baluni, in an interview with News18, questioned the silence of the Gandhis in addition to the indifference of Congress management from the state over Dikshit’s remarks on Late Common Rawat. “Why weren’t there any resignations,” he requested. Baluni claimed he hasn’t centred his marketing campaign round it however “some questions” will probably be requested, to the discomfiture of the Congress.
He additionally questioned Congress’s refusal to attend the grand opening of Ram Mandir on a day, when Congress misplaced one other of its leaders, Gourav Vallabh, who give up the occasion citing this as one of many causes.
Whereas Baluni promised to interrupt the 2019 document of 68% vote share of BJP from the seat and profitable 5 lakh votes, he sounded assured of beating his opponents “simply the way in which he beat most cancers”. “We’re fighters”, he quipped.
Right here’s an excerpt from the interview with Anil Baluni:
Q: What’s the ‘mahaul’ (ambiance) of Uttarakhand, significantly Garhwal?
Anil Baluni: In my total life up to now, I haven’t witnessed an election the place widespread folks have taken it of their arms to run a marketing campaign. At any time when they spot a BJP flag, they are saying, ‘Abki baar, 400 paar’. Wherever I’m going, they chant, ‘Modi hai to Mumkin hai’. The general public is preventing this election. It appears to be like like we might trespass the ‘400 paar’ goal.
Q: I’ve seen the way you went to Common Bipin Rawat’s home, you visited the village of Gen Anil Chauhan (present CDS). Are you attempting to present a message right here?
Anil Baluni: Look, this isn’t about messaging. I instructed you, I haven’t come right here (Gawana Village, the ancestral village of Gen Chauhan) to hunt votes. I’ve come right here solely to bow my head in entrance of Gen Chauhan’s home. An individual hailing from such a small and distant village turns into India’s CDS! It is a land of the braves. You understand the wealthy historical past of Garhwal Rifles. I went to Gen Rawat’s home to pay respect and to appreciate {that a} man coming from such a village turns into a persona that made China and Pakistan shiver in concern is surreal. These are ‘teerth sthal’ (locations of worship) for us.
Q: I’ve noticed folks speaking about the way in which sections of Congress handled Common Rawat. Is it slowly turning into an electoral situation?
Anil Baluni: This isn’t a matter of electoral situation. However when the election is right here, individuals are certain to ask questions as a result of folks can’t spot Congressmen in any other case. Such a braveheart of the nation is dubbed as ‘Gali ka Goonda’ by Congress’s high management. However no Uttarakhand Congress leaders, together with the present 5 candidates, instructed Rahul and Sonia ji that they don’t agree together with his views. None of them had the center to inform their high readership that they disagreed with Congress questioning the surgical strike and belittling his stature. Nobody resigned in protest, nobody protested, nobody apologised. That’s why this situation is being mentioned.
Q: Even right here in Gen Anil Chauhan’s village, such murmurs could be heard. So will or not it’s truthful to say your campaigning is resonating with them?
Anil Baluni: Look, I wish to level once more that this isn’t campaigning. It is a matter that’s associated to the bravehearts of Uttarakhand, associated to the land of Garhwal. Look, I’m additionally questioning them on their defiance on not attending Ram Mandir’s inauguration regardless of our invitation to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. They’d truly questioned the existence of Lord Ram. So received’t we ask questions?
Q: You might be speaking about Lord Ram. We now have seen how this situation cut up the Congress in Himachal Pradesh.
Anil Baluni: However inform me why no Congress leaders categorical related objections to mistreatment with Gen Rawat? Why no Congressman from this state reminded their management that they’re insulting a son of the soil? Why even after so a few years having handed, nobody from the Congress management has up to now apologised?
Q: Would you need Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi to apologise at present?
Anil Baluni: One ought to have completed {that a} lengthy very long time in the past. But when they really feel sorry from the underside of their coronary heart, they need to. “We now have disrespected such a courageous soldier and we’re sorry,” that’s all they must do. What’s the large deal about it?
Q: Do you assume this incident has certainly harm the feelings of Uttarakhand?
Anil Baluni: Inform me one society that wouldn’t be harm when such a person (Gen Rawat) is attacked. Are we a useless society that we wouldn’t be harm? The folks of this mountain are recognized for his or her bravery. We now have sacrificed lives for the nation. If their CDS is abused, they’re certain to get agitated.
Q: Shifting focus, inform me why have you ever been continually saying in all of your addresses that you simply wish to run a constructive marketing campaign. What do you imply by that?
Anil Baluni: I don’t wish to get into imply politics. That’s all I meant. Having stated that, the problems of Gen Rawat and Congress’s stance on Ram Mandir will proceed to be questioned.
Q: I didn’t wish to ask this private query. However since you’ve gotten talked about your battle with most cancers publicly, do you assume this electoral battle will probably be a straightforward one compared?
Anil Baluni: We’re Garhwalis and Garhwalis are fighters. We all know the right way to struggle each battle — be it sickness or different points. We are going to struggle and win. We are going to struggle the problems of mass desertions, and poverty of Uttarakhand and win.
Q: Final time BJP had a vote share of 68% in Garhwal. That’s no imply feat. What about this time?
Anil Baluni: We now have saved a goal of ‘5 lakh par’ this time. Actually, we wish to get 5 lakh votes every in all 5 Lok Sabha seats of the Uttarakhand and wish to present 25 lakh votes to Modi ji. It is a decision and we are going to fulfil it.
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