THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Narendra Modi government has introduced several welfare schemes for the Dalit, backward and poor people of the country and that Modi is guided by the belief that the country will not prosper except through the development of the downtrodden people.

He was inaugurating the 'Pattika Jathi Sangamam' (Scheduled Caste meeting) organized by the BJP Pattika Jathi Morcha at Al Saj Convention Centre. This was the only public event attended by Amit Shah who was on a two-day visit.

"When the BJP got the majority in Parliament to elect the President, we selected a person from the Dalit community - Ram Nath Kovind. On our second chance, we selected an ST community leader Draupadi Murmu. There are twelve members of the Scheduled Tribes in Modi's cabinet. Did the Congress party ever had a single Minister from the SC/ST community?'' Shah said.

He said that neither the Congress, which ruled the Centre for 60 years, nor the Communist Party, which supported them and influenced them for eight years, did anything for the Dalit and tribal communities.

Leaders of 13 scheduled caste organizations were present on the stage. The presence of tribal leader CK Janu was also noticeable. Amit Shah presented a 'ponnada' to Perumbavoor native MK Kunjol Master, a leader of the land struggles of Dalits, who received the Padma Shri at the age of 82. BJP state president K Surendran presided over the function. The mother of the Dalit girls who were sexually abused in Walayar and the mother of Attappadi Madhu, who was lynched and murdered by the mob, handed over petitions to the Union Home Minister.

Ambedkar honoured

"Ambedkar did not get Bharat Ratna when the Congress was in power. Ambedkar was finally awarded Bharat Ratna when the Congress was voted out of power. Ambedkar was honoured by declaring November 26 as Constitution Day,'' Shah said.