Amit Shah accuses grand alliance of 'breaking India'
Hyderabad, Oct 28: BJP President Amit Shah Sunday described the 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) of opposition parties as a 'dhakosla' (deception) and and accused it of "breaking India," while the Narendra Modi-led government was working for "making India."
Addressing the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) national convention here, Shah said on the one hand Prime Minister Modi was focussed on 'Making India', on the other the grand alliance leaders wanted to 'Break' India.
"Modiji says remove poverty, unemployment, insecurity...but Mahagathbandhan leaders say remove Modi," he added.
Criticising the grand alliance, the BJP leader said it "neither has a policy nor a leader nor any principles."
The Congress, TDP, TJS and others are presently engaged in seat-sharing talks for the proposed "grand alliance".
Taking a dig at Congress President Rahul Gandhi over his comments on the recent arrest of activists by the Maharashtra government over alleged links with Maoists, Shah said, "I want to tell Rahul Gandhi that whoever raises slogans on "breaking India" will land behind bars and they will never be pardoned."
He also hit out at Gandhi for questioning Modi government's' achievement during the last four-and-half-years and saying, he had no right to ask after having ruled for four generations and "doing nothing for the country and the poor."
Shah said the Modi government has launched several schemes and worked for the poor, farmers, women, Dalits and tribals.
Asserting that the BJP was ready to fight the 2019 elections under Modi's leadership, Shah urged the Yuva Morcha members to reach out to people and create awareness about the NDA government's achievements.
On the issue of National Register of Citizens, the BJP Chief said, "Rahul Baba talks of their human rights, but is not concerned about human rights of our security forces.
Infiltrators explode bombs killing security forces. Are you not concerned about their (security personnel) wives and children?" he asked adding that the issue might be a vote bank matter for the Congress, but for BJP it is security of the nation.
"Once the BJP is re-elected after 2019 polls, I guarantee that the party-led government will initiate the process of evicting illegal immigrants from all parts of the country," he added.
Slamming the TRS government in Telangana for not celebrating the Hyderabad Liberation Day, Shah alleged it was 'scared' of MIM and its chief Asaduddin Owaisi.
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Rally against "vote chori" to protect every citizen's right, says D K Shivakumar
New Delhi/ Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar asserted that the Congress party's rally against alleged 'vote chori' (vote theft) in New Delhi is to protect every citizen's right to vote.
Accusing BJP government at the Centre of restricting vehicles with Congress workers from entering Delhi to participate in the party's mega rally, Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Congress chief, said that about 3,500-4,000 party leaders and workers have come from the state to participate in the rally.
Congress is holding a mega rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on Sunday, against the alleged "vote chori" (vote theft).
"We (state Congress) have made accommodation for 1,500 people (party workers and leaders), more than 2,000 people have made their own arrangements. They have come by flight and train. About 3,500-4,000 people have come. About 1.42 crore signatures have been gathered from the state (as part of its signature campaign)," Shivakumar said.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, he said, there is a lot of enthusiasm among party workers and leaders, and they are committed to saving the Congress party in the state and the country, and protecting the citizens' right to vote.
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"As per the information that I have received this morning, the BJP and the central government are stopping vehicles (with Congress workers) from coming to Delhi, they are apparently not allowing vehicles to enter the city. I don't know why they are doing this. I don't know why the BJP and the central government are so worried. But no one can stop our voice," he added.
Further stating that Congress is fighting on behalf of the people of the country to protect their right to vote, the Deputy CM said, there is no politics in it. He said, all the leaders will be leaving for the protest venue from the Congress office in Delhi.
Reacting to a question on Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly terming Congress party's rally as an "act of frustration" due to electoral losses, and similar criticism from other BJP leaders, he said, he doesn't want to react to anyone from the saffron party.
"Let them say anything for their enjoyment. We, the Congressmen, won't think about electoral victories and losses. We think about the sacrifice made by our elders during the freedom struggle, to give democracy and a constitution to the country. Sonia Gandhi sacrificed power (PM post) and gave it to an economist like Manmohan Singh. Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives for this country," he said.
Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi went to jail for the sake of this country, he further pointed out, adding that, "A hundred years ago, Gandhi took over the leadership of the freedom struggle; today in these difficult times, Mallikarjun Kharge has taken the responsibility as the Congress President."
Shivakumar, responding to a question, said, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will also be attending the rally. "Both of us will go together (to the venue) from the Indira Gandhi Bhavan (in Delhi)."
He, however, did not wish to comment on any meeting with the Congress high command, including Soina Gandhi, on the issue of leadership change in Karnataka. Meanwhile, slogans calling Shivakumar the "next CM" were raised by his supporters as the Deputy CM left the Karnataka Bhavan.
