CHIKLI/WASHIM (MAHA) – Addressing poll rallies in Maharashtra, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday raked up the issue of Congress’ UK unit discussing Kashmir with Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, and slmmed both Congress and NCP over dynasty politics.
He also said that after Devendra Fadnavis became chief minister, Maharashtra got political stability.
Shah targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the party’s UK unit meeting Corbyn and discussing Kashmir.
“Rahul Gandhi must apologise for this as it is against India’s stated stand that there will be no third party role in Kashmir and the state is India’s internal matter. Rahul Gandhi should clarify his stand on the issue,” he said.
The Congress has said that its UK unit was not authorised to talk on India’s internal matters with outsiders.
At a rally at Chikli in Buldhana district, Shah slammed the opposition for criticising scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution.
“The people of Maharashtra have a choice to make. The Congress and NCP work for the welfare of their respective families, whereas the BJP and Shiv Sena have only the country’s interest in mind,” Shah said.
Modi’s first decision after winning a second term was to scrap Articles 370 and 35A, which were impediments in complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India, he said.
“Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said rivers of blood will flow in the Valley if the decision (scrapping Article 370) was taken and voted against the decision in Parliament.
But, not a drop of blood has been shed,” the BJP chief said.
“Why is the opposition asking what is the connection of Article 370 with Maharashtra politics? The entire country wanted Kashmir to be a part of India and Modi fulfilled that wish,” Shah said.
“Has Maharashtra got nothing to do with Kashmir? Soldiers from Buldhana sacrificed lives for the protection of Kashmir. Opposition doesn’t feel national issues are important,” he said.
Shah said these are the first elections after scrapping of Article 370, and hence an “opportunity to show that the entire country is together on the issue.”
The home minister also said the National Register of Citizens will be implemented and by 2024, “each and every infiltrator will be thrown out of the country”.
Earlier, when Pakistan-based terrorists attacked India, there would be no reaction, he said.
“Mauni baba” (then PM Manmohan Singh) remained quiet.
But, when Uri and Pulwama happened, Modi retaliated with surgical strikes and air strikes. The Congress and NCP cannot keep the country safe and secure,” he said.
Praising Devendra Fadnavis’s leadership, Shah said he will occupy the chief minister’s post for the next five years.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar, daughter Supriya Sule, and members of third generation of the family are contesting elections, he pointed out.
“Is there no talent outside the family? Such `pariwar wadi’ parties can’t work for the welfare of the state and country,” he said.
He challenged Sharad Pawar to a debate on latter’s 55 years of work on the “chauraha” (crossroad) of Nagpur. “I will send the president of the BJP Yuva Morcha (the party’s youth wing) to debate with him,” Shah said.
At a rally at Karanja in Washim district, the BJP chief said before 2014 elections, there was no political stability in Maharashtra, because of which development suffered.
“We (BJP) gave political stability in the form of Fadnavis,” he said.
Continuing to slam the opposition for questioning relevance of Article 370 in Maharashtra polls, he said (the country’s first prime minister) Jawaharlal Nehru took the Kashmir issue to the United Nations, while Rahul Gandhi is discussing Kashmir with the UK.
At a rally at Melghat in Amravati district, Shah said the biggest achievement of the Modi government was to improve India’s image world-over.
“At Howdy Modi event (in Houston), US president Donald Trump said Modi is world’s most popular leader,” Shah said.
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