Kundgol (Karnataka): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday took part in a road show here, as part of Karnataka BJP's 'Vijaya Sankalp Abhiyan', in the run-up to the Assembly polls in the state, due by May. Targeting the opposition Congress and JD(S) and accusing them of dynasty politics and corruption, he sought support for the BJP to form a government with full majority in Karnataka.
Shah took part in the road show on a specially decorated open vehicle, for over a km distance from Basavanna Devara Matha to Gali Mariyamma temple here, amid loud cheers and waving of BJP flags by large number of party supporters and workers gathered. Shah was accompanied by Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, party's General secretary in-charge Arun Singh, state President Nalin Kumar Kateel, former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, along the road show.
People gathered along the stretch showered flower petals at the vehicle carrying the leaders at various places, as sound of beating of the drums, chants of "Modi Modi", "Bharat Mata ki Jai" slogans reverberated. Shah made a short address to the gathering at the end of the road show, during which he targeted opposition Congress and JD(S) for dynasty politics and corruption, and asked them to vote for BJP in the upcoming Assembly polls.
Listing out various "pro-people" programmes of the BJP government, he said, "Congress only does aarti of Gandhi family, and in JD(S) grandfather, son, grandson, their wives, grandson's son everyone wants to contest polls...youths should tell, do they have a place in that party?" Claiming that youth has a place only in BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, BJP government under Modi has taken the country's pride to heights at the global level.
"Modi has worked for securing the country from terrorists, Modi has abrogated Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, along with that construction of Ram Mandi in Ayodhya," Shah said, asking people to vote for BJP in the upcoming elections, to support it in forming a government with full majority, and to defeat the "parivarwadis" (dynasts) and corrupt.
The road show by BJP was aimed at attracting public support in favour of the party in Kundgol and neighbouring Assembly constituencies in Dharwad district, party sources said. Congress' Kusumavati Channabasappa Shivalli currently represents the Kundgol Assembly segment. She had won the seat in 2019 by-polls, after the seat fell vacant following the death of her husband and then sitting MLA C S Shivalli.
Shivalli had won the seat in 2013 and 2018 Assembly elections.
Amit Shah stressed the need to increase the conviction rate in the country and to integrate the criminal justice system with forensic science-based investigation, in order to set right the law and order situation in India. Highlighting that the country has been making strides in the field of forensic science, he said the country will have the largest number of forensic science experts in five years.
"I can tell the countrymen that, if any country in the whole world will have the largest number of forensic science experts in five years, it will be in India. Because India's National Forensic Sciences University is the first such unique university in the world," Shah said.
Speaking after laying the foundation for an off-campus facility of National Forensic Sciences University here, he said the crime world is changing at a fast pace whether it is related to fake currency, hawala transaction, infiltration at the border, narcotics, cybercrime, crime against women, criminals have gone far ahead than the police.
"Unless the police are two steps ahead of the criminals, prevention of crime is impossible. If police have to be two steps ahead, we have to increase the conviction ratio. Unless the basis of the investigation is not scientific, not on the basis of forensic science, we will not be able to get punishment for the culprits in the court," he added.
Further suggesting that for all such crime scenes of offences that will attract punishment of more than six years, the forensic science officer must reach first, the Union Minister complimented the Karnataka police for implementing it in urban areas, and said it will be helpful in crime detection and conviction.
Noting that as India is progressing the challenges will also increase, Shah said there is a need to prepare experts in accordance with those challenges. For certain heinous crimes, forensic science investigation has to be made mandatory, he said. For forensic investigation to be made "compulsory" for offences attracting punishment of more than six years, across the country, we will need 8,000-10,000 forensic science experts every year for nine years.
During his address, Shah credited former deputy prime minister and ex-Union home minister L K Advani for starting the forensic science department in the country and for putting focus on the subject. He said, later Narendra Modi as Gujarat Chief Minister took the initiative to have the best-in-class forensic science laboratories, and identified the lack of trained experts that resulted in the establishment of Gujarat Forensic Sciences University.
As Prime Minister in his second term, Modi thought about National Forensic Sciences University and it was established, Shah said, adding that he is proud of being the Home Minister of the state and nation, when universities were established in Gujarat and at the national level respectively.
Noting that the foundation has been laid for the ninth off-campus facility of National Forensic Sciences University in Dharwad, Shah said, in this campus of NFSU, subjects relating to forensic science like cybersecurity, digital forensics, artificial intelligence, DNA forensics, food processing, environment forensics, and agriculture forensics, will be taught till the expert level.
Notably, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on January 27 arrived at Hubballi Airport in Karnataka. (With Agency Inputs)
