Dehradun, Jan 24 (PTI): Criticising the UPA government for creating disparity between states ruled by NDA and others, BJP chief Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said that the Centre must understand the reality of federal structure of the country.
"In a discriminatory move, the Centre has curtailed the industrial package for the BJP-ruled states - Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh - but continued all its tax incentives for Jammu and Kashmir," Gadkari said.
"Why such discrimination. They must and should explain why the package was withdrawn," the BJP President said.
"The Vajpayee government gave the package to Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir for ten years till 2013. This was a commitment by a government at the Centre and not by a party. The package should have been continued," he said.
The main feature of the industrial package comprising cent per cent excise rebate was discontinued on March 31, 2010, "under pressure" from non-BJP ruled states.
When pointed out that only the excise rebate has been withdrawn from the package, Gadkari said, "I challenge Congress leaders to hold a discussion on the issue. This package was withdrawn mainly due to vindictive attitude of the UPA government."
The BJP will fight for the restoration of the industrial package, the BJP leader said, adding some of the party's national leaders have already met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for the extension of the industrial package that ushered industrialisation and created new jobs in the hill state.
On the demand of Congress for taking strong action against from Uttarakhand Chief MinisterNishank Pokhriyal in alleged Mahakumbh scandal, Gadkari said no inquiry or court has found these allegations as correct and that they were "baseless".
"Congress should tell us as to what action they have so far taken against Sushil Kumar Shinde and Vilasrao Deshmukh in Adarsh scam, Sheila Dikshit in Commonwealth Games scam or S M Krishna on the basis of Lokayukta report in Karnataka," he said.
Regarding corruption charges against Babu Singh Kushwaha, who had recently quit BSP to join BJP, Gadkari said the allegations of corruption against him are not proved.
"We never support corruption. If he (Kushwaha) is found guilty, he too will have to face its consequences," he said.
On National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam, Gadkari said his party demands strong action against those involved in the scam.
"The party is fighting elections collectively but BC Khanduri will be the next Chief Minister (of Uttarakhand if the BJP won the polls)," he said.
He made it clear that party has not discredited any leader and said good work was done by the BJP government under the leadership of Nishank, including successful conduct of Mahakumbh mela in 2010.
On its vision document for the election-bound Uttarakhand, the BJP said that the party would develop tourism in the state to create new avenues for jobs. Besides, the party would also develop the hydro-power sector in the region, he said.
"We will also launch efforts to contain inflation and provide a corruption-free government," he said. He claimed that Uttarakhand has made good progress in the past 10 years in comparison to the parent state of Uttar Pradesh and the BJP government has played a major role in it.
"For further development, the people of the state should vote for BJP," Gadkari said.
"Five things - leadership, vision, transparency, commitment and will power - are necessary for the development of any place and (Uttarakhand Chief Minister) Khanduri has all these five things," he added.