Rajput also said that had the country got the prime minister that it had dreamt of, perhaps its condition would have been different. Following this, he added, the country saw “a tradition of dynastism”. (X/@Balwantsinh99)Cabinet minister for Industries, Civil Aviation and Labour & Employment Balvantsinh Rajput on Thursday, without naming Jawaharlal Nehru, stated from the floor of Gujarat Assembly that immediately after Independence, India could not attain the expected development since “a poor country got a wealthy prime minister”.Rajput, who was with the Congress till 2017 when he switched to the BJP, said this while attacking opposition Congress during his speech on the discussion on a proposal to thank the Governor for his address to the Gujarat Assembly. He said, “When our country attained independence in 1947, the situation in the country at that time was different from the dreams that were seen by the people who fought for freedom. The situation that the country was in…the prime minister it got…a poor country got a wealthy prime minister (garib desh ne ameer vada pradhan malya) because of which the development that was necessary for the country could not happen. It can be said that this person when he became prime minister he would go abroad to even launder his clothes”.Rajput also said that had the country got the prime minister that it had dreamt of, perhaps its condition would have been different. Following this, he added, the country saw “a tradition of dynastism”.Rajput is a former senior Congress leader in Gujarat. He resigned from the party in 2017 and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of a crucial Rajya Sabha election where he contested against the late Congress veteran Ahmed Patel, who won by a whisker.Rajput made the political observations while supporting the proposal and specifically replying to the speech of Congress MLA from Khedbrahma constituency, Tushar Chaudhary. Chaudhary is also the son of the first tribal Chief Minister of Gujarat, Amarsinh Chaudhary.In his speech, Chaudhary had opposed the proposal while depicting the picture of education, land rights and drinking water in the state.He said that Gujarat has a deficit of 35,982 classrooms in schools.Story continues below this adOn giving forest land rights to tribals in the state, Chaudhary referred to the Governor’s speeches of 2023, 2024 and 2025 and said that in the last three years, instances of claims of tribals for land being cleared have seen a marginal increase.On implementation of Nal se Jal scheme of the state government, Chaudhary cited the scenario in his Khedbrahma constituency and said that water has not reached 90% villages, adding the MLAs there get maximum demand of handpumps and borewells.This has happened, Chaudhary said, because the geography of the region is such that it requires separate planning, which has not been done by the government.“When this government has fallen short of providing primary amenities to teachers in primary schools, which could not provide drinking water to its citizens and could not give forest land to tribals, I cannot support such a proposal to thank (the Governor’s Address),” Chaudhary said. © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Gandhinagar