BJP President and Lok Sabha candidate from Gandhinagar, Amit Shah was interviewed by Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami in Varanasi yesterday.
Amit Shah, speaking about the chances of BJP coming back to power, said that the party who believes in democracy and follows the same within the party can value and strengthen democracy. Taking a subtle jibe at the Congress’ ‘dynasty politics’ Shah said that democracy is not any particular families personal property. And only a party which has the will and vision can take India ahead, said the BJP President.
Shah said that when India completes 75 years of its Independence BJP wishes to see India as a fearless and confident Nation, and said, “We are working relentlessly to achieve the same”.
Attacking Congress, Shah said that since the opposition has no particular agenda, nor does it have any ‘neta’ (leader) nor ‘niti’ (policy) for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, they are fighting this election on the basis of personal attacks. Be it the ‘chowkidar chor hai‘ jibe or calling Amit Shah a ‘murder accused’, the Congress president has been resorting to such techniques to mislead the public. But Indian cannot be fooled, he said.
In reciprocation to the ‘murder accused’ tag, BJP president Amit Shah stated that a false case was registered against him. He alleged an ‘absence of evidence’ and ‘political motivation’ behind the case, furthermore taking a dig on Rahul ‘legal knowledge’. It is notable here that Shah was vindicated when the CBI court had stated in its verdict late last year that the CBI had wanted to falsely accuse Shah.
Saying that the court had ruled that there was not enough evidence against him to merit even a trial, Shah lambasted at Rahul saying that his lawyer friend like Kapil Sibal should enlighten him with some legal know-how.
Amit Shah, when further asked about the voter’s turnout in this election season as compared to that in 2014 said that he is confident that Modi supporters are coming out in huge numbers to cast their votes.
When Arnab indicated that this election is not being seen as a ‘wave election’ as it was in 2014, Shah with extreme certainty said that people are not being able to understand the undercurrent in the Nation. Shah said that he has been traveling extensively and confirmed that this time the ‘Modi Wave’ is stronger than that in 2014.
“Public has decided on the next Prime Minister, it is Narendra Modi, there is a ‘gigantic voter wave’ all over the country, in favour of PM Modi, said Shah confidently. He said that both the number of seats as well as the margin will be higher for his party. Performance in all states including Northeast, West Bengal, Odisha, and Kerala will be better than before, he said.
“Vote bank is not any political leader’s slave”. Gone are those days when getting together of any two leaders sitting in their respective drawing rooms could influence voters, Shah said, furthering, that the voters’ are now, well-informed, aware and cannot be influenced. Basing his predictions on this factor, Shah said that he was confident that BJP will win a minimum of 23 seats in West Bengal too.
Answering to Arnab’s question on how Uttar Pradesh results have become the focal point this election season, Shah concluded that the SP-BSP alliance’ internal contradiction votes were more than 15 percent in Uttar Pradesh, which would become an obstacle for the SP-BSP alliance. Amit Shah sounded certain that BJP will sweep Uttar Pradesh in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Blasting at SP-BSP trying to consolidate votes in Uttar Pradesh on the basis of caste-based politics, Shah said that BJP is instead trying to consolidate vote in UP on the basis of development.
Speaking about the immense development initiative taken up by his party in the last five years in Uttar Pradesh, Shah said that the UP people are totally upbeat with the fact that they have received basic amenities like gas connections, toilets and houses after 70 years of Independence and all this has happened after BJP came to power. He was confident that UP’ public will recognise the BJP’ efforts and vote for them.
Condemning the castist remarks the opposition resorts to regularly, Amit Shah said that the opposition is automatically helping in consolidating the Hindu votes in favour of BJP. He said that his party needn’t do anything, the opposition is helping them to acquire the Hindu support by invoking castist statements.
Shah lambasted at the ‘Hindu terror’ narrative which is being woven around the induction of Sadhvi Pragya into BJP, by the opposition parties. “Hindu Terror is an insult to the Nation”, Shah blistered, saying that both the Babri Masjid case and the Samjhauta blast cases, which were peddled by the Congress party to consolidate its vote bank, were dismissed by the court.
Shah made a fiery attack at the Congress saying that the Congress for all these years has compromised on the country’s security, insulted Indian culture and degraded our country worldwide to garner votes.
Lambasting at the Congress, Shah said that he wanted Congress to answer as to why the Lashkar terrorist’s who were accused in the Samjhauta Blast case were freed? He reiterated that it has been proven that the Congress, in order to consolidate votes, created a false case to mislead the country and also concocted this ‘Hindu terror’ narrative to rule the country for so many years.
Amit Shah further took a dig at the Congress’ election manifesto, saying that the manifesto had been prepared with a ‘tukde-tukde’ mindset. They have always been supporting the Tukde Tukde gang, said Shah.
Answering to Congress’ veiled attack on PM Modi’s remark, when he had in his response to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said that India has not saved its nuclear weapon for Diwali, Shah said that Modi was just making a reference to context trying to convey that India will not bow down to Pakistan sponsored terrorism, which again has been misrepresented by the opposition to suit its narrative, said Shah.
Pointing out at the difference between India then and now, BJP president, said that when the Congress left there was the “Hindu terror’ narrative floating in the country. They projected India as a terrorist hub. Now, under Modi, the entire world has recognised Pakistan as the breeding ground for terrorists. The entire world, including China, has declared Pakistan a terrorist country’, said Shah.
Cornering the Congress over talking about ensuring the dilution of AFSPA, ensuring that the presence of security forces in the Kashmir valley is reduced and dilution of sedition law, the three promises which the Congress election manifesto highlights, Shah informed that probably the Congress supremo was unaware that these laws were introduced by his great grandfather.
Next, commenting on Imran Khan’s controversial remark supporting PM Modi for the next term, which gave the Congress an opportunity to berate the Prime Minister, Shah said that Imran Khan was right, peace would only prevail if Modi comes back to power. Putting an end to all anecdotes woven by the Congress over Imran Khan’s statement, Shah in a witty response, said that Imran Khan’s statement is true because the fear after the airstrike will not permit Pakistan to plan any terror activities in the future and hence peace will automatically prevail.
Answering to the allegations rendered by the opposition, saying that BJP was in a habit to take credit for everything (making a reference to the airstrike), Shah said that it is the “political will that makes the difference”. The army has been there in the past also, then why under the Congress rule such a strong step was not implemented after the 2008 Mumbai attack, questioned Shah.
He said it is the political will which decides, the army just follows the decision. When both operate in unison, then only success comes your way, said Amit Shah.
Arnab further questioned Shah on Priyanka Vadra’s longing desire to contest from Varanasi and also went on to talk about Shah’s take on Amethi.
Talking about Priyanka’s inclination to fight PM Modi from Varanasi, Shah said that since India is a democratic country anyone can fight elections. Taking a subtle jibe at Indira Gandhi and Congress rule then, Amit Shah said: “this is not Congress rule, where an emergency will be declared and the powers from all political parties would be yanked away”. In the same breath, Shah laughed away Priyanka’ chances of winning from Varanasi, saying that the love and admiration people of Varanasi have for Narendra Modi is unimaginable.
Meanwhile, talking about Amethi, Shah asked: “what connection does the Congress family have with Amethi”? Lambasting at Congress’ frivolous claims, he said they were born in Allahabad, lived in Delhi, haven’t worked for the people of Amethi in the last 4 decades, on what basis does the Congress supremo called Amethi it’s home turf? said, Shah.
“It is the BJP which has provided electricity to over 600 households in Amethi. I believe that this time Amethi is a potential seat for BJP”, said the BJP president.
Throwing light on its position in West Bengal, Amit Shah said that in these five years BJP has been a witness to the prevailing autocracy and corruption in Bengal. BJP has been working on the ground level and in its struggle has lost the lives of over 80 workers in Bengal. He furthered that they have been witness to the intolerance and atrocities prevailing in Bengal. He furthered that the mafia and syndicates flourishing under the TMC are no secret. He also asserted that Bengal’s demography has been changing because infiltrators are being backed by the leadership.
He said that the public of West Bengal has now decided to stand up against these atrocities. They will welcome the BJP government with open arms as they now want to “teach didi (Mamata Banerjee) a lesson”, said Shah.
Towards the end of the interview, talking about a few of BJP’ achievements in the last 5 years, be it from providing around 7 crore gas connections, to building 2.5 crore houses. Be it electrifying 2.35 crore houses to constructing over 8 crore toilets or be it providing the 50 crore Indians with health benefits worth 5 lakh, working relentlessly for the holistic development of the Nation, Shah with immense confidence predicted that India will vote BJP back to power.
Envisioning more than 282 seats for BJP and a minimum of 320 seats for NDA, Amit Shah was certain that India will choose Modi as their Prime Minister for the next term as well.
Amit Shah’s full interview with Republic Bharat can be viewed here:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jjoRHBc8f0]
