New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the Congress would not return to power for the next 30 years. He made the remark while addressing an event linked to the Yamuna revival projects in New Delhi, where he also criticised Rahul Gandhi over his allegations of vote theft.
“The country has realised Rahul ji that you and your associates want to protect the votes of the illegal infiltrators under the garb of ‘vote chori’ allegations,” Shah said.
He recalled that Rahul Gandhi had questioned his confidence about the BJP remaining in power for the next three decades. Shah said the Congress had already lost power in several states before the BJP-led NDA formed the government at the Centre.
Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi’s foreign visits, Shah said he was born in India, lived in the country and would die there. He added that he did not need to travel abroad every six months because he remained among the people.
“Given the kind of negative politics you are pursuing, your government will never be formed. Remember my words for the next 30 years,” Shah said.
Shah Questions Opposition’s Stand on Elections
Shah also questioned the opposition’s objections to the Election Commission and voter lists. He referred to elections in Kerala and said the same voter lists, Election Commissioner and electronic voting machines were used there.
He pointed out that opposition parties had accepted the Election Commission after victories in Telangana and Himachal Pradesh. He also mentioned Tamil Nadu, where candidates supported by the opposition had won.
“But wherever you lose, the ECI is not acceptable,” Shah said.
He also accused opposition parties of accepting court verdicts when the decisions went in their favour but rejecting them when they did not. Shah said the public was watching their actions and that protests in Delhi would not change the people’s mandate.
His remarks came amid protests by INDIA bloc parties against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Shah asked Rahul Gandhi to reach out to people instead of staging protests. He also urged the Congress to work for the public in states where it was in power.
Amit Shah Targets Congress and AAP Over Yamuna Pollution
Shah turned to the issue of Yamuna pollution and criticised both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party. He said the two parties had been in power for 30 years but had failed to do enough to clean the river.
“The BJP, under the leadership of PM Modi, will get the opportunity to clean the Yamuna River right up to the Sangam,” he said.
The Home Minister also targeted AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal over the party’s government in Punjab. Referring to AAP’s defeat in Delhi, Shah alleged that Kejriwal had moved to Punjab but was not allowing Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to work.
Shah predicted that AAP would be wiped out in Punjab. He also said the NDA would eradicate the drug menace in the state by 2029.