Confident that BJP will again form govt in Assam with largest ever mandate: Amit Shah
Guwahati (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said he is confident that the BJP will return to power in Assam under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma with the "largest ever mandate".
Addressing the youth convention of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) here, Shah urged the people to give another mandate to the BJP and assured them that "every infiltrator will be sent out of India".
His comment comes on a day when the Election Commission (EC) announced that the Assam assembly elections would be held on April 9 and the counting on May 4.
"I am confident that the BJP will again form a government in Assam with the largest ever mandate and power of the youths," he said.
In the current 126-member assembly, the ruling BJP's strength is 64, while its allies AGP has nine MLAs, UPPL has seven, and the BPF has three members.
''The Congress gave shelter to infiltrators, but the BJP government is determined to identify each one of them and drive them out of the country," Shah said.
The EC conducted Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in some states, but the Congress protested against the exercise, he claimed.
"The Congress legalised, formalised and normalised infiltration, but the BJP will remove each illegal immigrant from the electoral rolls. Rahul Babu can rest assured that not only their (infiltrators') names will be removed from the electoral rolls, but they will also be driven out,'' Shah said.
He praised the chief minister for carrying out the eviction of infiltrators who had settled on land encroached by them.
''Sarma has already cleared 1.5 lakh bighas of land encroached by infiltrators, and the day will come soon when there will not be a single one left in the country," he added.
During the Congress rule, Assam was "known for violence", and several youths were killed, Shah claimed.
"The Congress did nothing for the youth, but its leaders were only concerned about the benefits of their families," he added.
Shah alleged that the grand old party believes in ''corruption, polarisation by promoting infiltrators and looking after the interests of their children", and claimed that the BJP's focus has been on "development, driving out infiltrators and ensuring that the interests of the children of poor people are taken care of".
The Union minister continued his tirade against the Congress, accusing the party of defaming the country during the AI Summit in New Delhi when its members staged a protest at the venue by taking off their shirts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi organised such a big and successful summit with heads of 22 countries and CEOs of 80 international companies participating. Several MoUs were signed, but the Congress tried to defame the country, he claimed.
''We are also in politics and have been in opposition, organising protests and dharnas, but there is a place for such demonstrations. The summit was a place where the participants had come to see the developments made in the sector and invest in it, but the Congress used the platform for its politics and made such a vulgar display of its protest," the Union minister said.
Shah asserted that in his bid to "constantly oppose the PM and the BJP, Rahul Gandhi has now started going against the country".
''Political parties often make mistakes, but they apologise, and even the Congress has done so before. Rahul Gandhi has, however, crossed all levels of decency and instead of apologising, he went on to say that those involved in this shameful act were his 'babbar sher' (courageous people)," he said.
Shah asserted that he believes that the people of the country will never accept such a "shameful display of defaming the country".
He also condemned the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha for "drinking tea and eating pakora at the gates of Parliament''.
''Does he not know where to eat breakfast? Parliament is the sacred place of our democracy, and even protesting or holding a dharna on the premises is not a democratic culture. He, however, went two steps ahead...he is defaming India and its democracy across the world," the BJP leader said.
Shah said he hopes that no youth in the country practices in such "activism".
"They are opposed to us and should speak against us. They don't talk in Parliament and run away from the House, but protest at the summit where people from across the world have come to see India's progress and development in this sector," he said.
The Congress has "undermined the talent and potential of the youths", and ''they will not forgive the party", he said.
Shah praised the chief minister for carrying out a clean recruitment drive in the state through which 1,65,000 youths have been given government jobs.
''Before the last elections, we had promised in our manifesto one lakh jobs, but Sarma went ahead and gave 1.65 lakh government jobs to the youths in the state," Shah said.
It is indeed commendable that so many appointments were made, and there was "not a single court case. This shows the clean and transparent way the BJP works'', he added.
Shah highlighted various development initiatives that have taken place in the state during the last 10 years, particularly in the fields of education and employment opportunities.
He pointed out that various industries, particularly the Rs 27,000 crore semiconductor plant, will go a long way in providing employment, while IIT, AIIMS, IIM, universities, engineering and medical colleges will also benefit the youths.
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Kharge says LPG crisis due to govt's lack of planning, BJP accuses Cong of creating anarchy
New Delhi (PTI): Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday held the government responsible for the current LPG crisis by not taking preemptive measures, evoking a sharp counter from Union Minister J P Nadda, who accused the Congress of trying to create anarchy in the country and indulging in politics instead.
Raising the matter during the Zero Hour in the House, Kharge accused the government of not doing advance planning and making alternative arrangements for LPG imports as the government "knew" that the West Asia crisis could impact critical maritime routes and energy supplies.
Rebutting him strongly, Nadda, who is also Leader of the House, accused opposition parties, especially Congress, of not standing with the people but of instigating them.
"The LPG crisis has caused widespread panic across the entire nation. Its impact is severely affecting the poor and vulnerable sections, the middle class, ordinary households, restaurants, hostels, and commercial users," Kharge said.
India imports nearly 60 per cent of its total LPG requirements. Of this, 90 per cent of imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz. From this perspective, Kharge said the current situation has become a matter of serious concern for both domestic availability and price stability.
He said the effects of the LPG crisis are being felt in nearly every part of the country, and people in households are distressed.
Kharge sought to highlight that small roadside eateries, restaurants, hostels — all are impacted. From community kitchens to Ram Rasoi, everything has shut down. Not just homes — MSMEs and other commercial users are facing severe difficulties in obtaining LPG cylinders.
"It is concerning that many establishments have limited or completely halted their operations. Some are purchasing at exorbitant rates, over Rs 5,000 per cylinder," the senior Congress leader claimed.
Kharge further said that the Union Petroleum Minister had claimed in the Lok Sabha that there is no shortage of LPG and called for caution against rumours.
"But the ground reality proves the government's claims wrong," he added.
He said that when the government was issuing advisories to Indian citizens in Iran that the situation could worsen, it should have clearly stated that this could also impact critical maritime routes and energy supplies, and should have taken steps in advance.
"Government very well knew that a crisis was impending at the Strait of Hormuz. The situation would not have been that bad had advance planning and alternative arrangements for LPG imports done in advance," Kharge said.
He said the waiting period for cylinder bookings in the country has also been extended, now 25 days in cities and 45 days in villages/remote areas.
This has triggered panic booking and increased the likelihood of hoarding, he said.
The Congress leader questioned why the government did not take stringent measures if it knew that the LPG crisis in the country would escalate.
"Why didn't it take the people and opposition in confidence? This crisis exposes the government's dismal management and flawed foreign policy," he said, and demanded a discussion on the issue.
While Kharge was making his remarks, Chairman C P Radhakrishnan repeatedly asked him to conclude as only three minutes are allowed to a speaker during the Zero Hour. However, the Chair allowed him extra time.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had given a detailed response on the issue in the Lok Sabha, but Congress members did not hear him out.
The Minister said Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi was given the floor in the Lower House to speak on the issue, but he spoke on other things instead.
Nadda lamented that the Opposition, especially the Congress, is not hesitating to indulge in politics even during times of crisis.
He said the current West Asia conflict is not due to India and has no contribution.
The senior BJP leader said a Congress leader has also been caught hoarding LPG cylinders.
"They are resorting to hoarding of cylinders. They are instigating people. They are inciting the peaceful people of the country, and this is very unfortunate that even in such a situation, they are indulging in politics.
"Instead of standing with the country, they are trying to create anarchy...This is condemnable," Nadda added.
