(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday accused Rahul Gandhi of advancing Pakistan's agenda and asserted that the Congress leader would face defeat in Raebareli. Shah suggested that after his defeat, Gandhi should consider settling down in Italy, insinuating it as his only viable option.
"From Amethi, he went to Wayanad and now is in Raebareli where he is going to be defeated. Now he should go to Italy and settle down there as it is the only one place left for him," the Home Minister said during his election rally in Hardoi.
"Rahul Gandhi took out Bharat Jodo Yatra. After elections, he will have to take out Congress Dhoondo Yatra (Find Congress march)," he said and accused the INDIA bloc parties of being involved in scams worth Rs 12 lakh crore.
Shah also criticized leaders of the opposition parties within the INDIA bloc for their absence at the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple. He suggested that their reluctance to attend stemmed from fear of losing their vote bank. Furthermore, Shah cautioned that if these opposition parties were to come to power, they might impose a "Babri" lock on the temple.
"They might be afraid of their vote bank, we are not. Not only did we get the Ram Temple built, Modi also built the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor that was destroyed by Aurangzeb," he said.
"All of you know who comprises their vote bank. Uttar Pradesh will never support those who shy away from Lord Ram's work," the Union Minister added.
Additionally, he asserted that should the opposition secure victory in the elections, celebrations akin to bursting crackers would occur in Pakistan.
Shah accused the Samajwadi Party (SP) of perpetuating a dynastic culture within its ranks. He highlighted that the party's leader, Akhilesh Yadav, is contesting from Kannauj, while his wife Dimple Yadav is running from Manipuri. Furthermore, he pointed out that Aditya Yadav is contesting from Budaun, Akshay Yadav from Firozabad, and Dharmendra Yadav from Azamgarh, emphasizing the concentration of power within one family.
"Once their children become mature, they will contest from all 80 seats. They are not well-wishers of the Yadav community as well," he claimed.
Shah delivered speeches at election rallies held in Lakhimpur Kheri, Hardoi, and Kannauj.
During a rally supporting Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, who is contesting as the BJP candidate from Lakhimpur Kheri, Shah criticized the Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP), and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). He accused them of tarnishing the image of the saffron party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shah referenced allegations made by these parties, claiming that if Modi's party were to secure 400 seats in the ongoing election, reservation policies would be abolished.
Referring to SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav's statement in which he said the Ram temple issue is "bekar' (useless), Shah said, "Ram Gopal says the temple is useless. Remember me, though it is not going to happen, if the opposition parties come to power, they will put a Babri naam ka tala (Babri lock) at the Ram temple."
"When you made Modi the prime minister for the second time, he not only won the legal dispute involving the Ram Janmabhoomi but also performed the bhoomi puja (groundbreaking ceremony) of the Ram temple and its pran pratishtha (consecration) was held in January," the Home Minister added accusing the Congress of stalling Ram temple issue for 70 years.
On the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the Home Minister said, "Modi has brought a law to give citizenship to those Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains who came to India from Pakistan. A lot of them in Kheri did not have citizenship. (Congress leader) Rahul (Gandhi) and (SP president) Akhilesh (Yadav) say they will withdraw the CAA. Now, no one can do that."
Slamming the INDIA Bloc, Amit Shah added, "If the INDI alliance gets the majority, who will be its prime minister? Will Sharad Pawar, Mamata (Banerjee) Didi, (M K) Stalin, Akhilesh or Rahul become the prime minister? It does not even have a prime ministerial candidate. It neither has a leader, nor a policy nor determination."
"After the first three phases of the Lok Sabha polls, Modiji has crossed 190 seats... In the fourth phase, under PM Modi's leadership, we are strongly heading towards 400 seats, while the SP, BSP and Congress have been wiped out," Shah said.
"The Congress, SP and BSP are defaming BJP and Modi ji by spreading falsehood. They are saying that if Modi ji gets 400 seats then reservation will end," he alleged.
"When Congress got a majority in Karnataka, five per cent reservation was given to Muslims. It went from the OBC quota. In Andhra Pradesh, the reservation was given to Muslims. There too, reservation for backward classes was cut. If BJP gets majority then we will end the anti-constitutional Muslim reservation and give it to the backward classes," he added.
Attacking Rahul Gandhi further, Amit Shah stated, "He talks of eradicating poverty in one stroke... Your grandmother (former prime minister Indira Gandhi) imposed Emergency, father (former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi) re-implemented triple talaq and your party has snatched away the reservation of backward communities."
"The Congress Party and its cronies -- the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh -- are anti-backwards people. All backward class people should understand this," he said.
The senior BJP leader reiterated Prime Minister Modi's role in quelling terrorism within the country. He highlighted significant achievements of the BJP government, including the surgical strikes conducted in Pakistan and the restoration projects undertaken at the Kashi Vishwanath corridor and Somnath temple. These accomplishments were emphasized as key milestones under Modi's leadership.
On the opposition's attack on alleged misuse of ED and CBI, he said, "I want to tell Rahul (Gandhi) and Akhilesh (Yadav), if you do corruption you will be caught and no one can stop this.
In Kannauj, where Akhilesh Yadav is contesting against the BJP's Subrat Pathak, Shah criticized the Yadav family's track record in the region. He pointed out that for years, despite being elected by the people, members of the Mulayam Singh Yadav's family failed to return to the area after winning or losing elections.
Shah alleged that during the riots in western Uttar Pradesh, the SP leaders were observed attending dance performances in Saifai, the native place of the Yadav family, instead of addressing the issues faced by the people. He then posed a rhetorical question to the audience, asking whether they would vote for those who prioritize their "family shop" or those who listen to the "voices of the public" from this constituency.
MENAFN08052024007385015968ID1108189571