Only leadership crisis not predicament of Congress: Home Minister

Jammu, May 3:  Union Home Minister Amit Shah Friday mocked Congress saying that there was not only “leadership crisis” but the party was staring at a crisis of “candidates, Neeyat (genuine intent) and Neeti (policy) as well.”

In an interview with Times Network, the Union Home Minister ridiculed the allegations of opposition (mainly Congress) that democracy in India was under severe assault and (opposition) candidates were being bullied, after BJP candidates were declared unopposed from Surat and Indore.

“In this country, 37 persons, most of them belonging to Congress, have been declared unopposed so far. Rahul Baba should come clear on it - if his party had murdered democracy when Vasantrao Chavan won unopposed; when Dr Farooq Abdullah was declared victorious unopposed with its (Congress’) support) or when Dimple Yadav was declared unopposed. They (Congress) cannot tackle their candidates and pass the buck to us. When they lose, they start seeing danger to democracy or find fault with the EVMs. When they win, they immediately take an oath. They should not (take oath) though, if they really think that EVM is faulty as it is the same democracy and same EVM, when they win. I find these accusations ridiculous. I wonder if Congress, already facing a dearth of leaders, is not having even prudent advisors,” Shah said.

At this point, when he was asked if he really felt that there was a leadership crisis in Congress, he said, “There was not only a crisis of leaders (leadership) but there was a crisis of candidates; Neeyat and Neeti as well.”

Defending BJP’s targetted attack on Congress’ manifesto by linking it with that of Muslim League, Shah questioned, “What is Personal Law? What does that suggest? If the party in its manifesto reiterates its commitment to it, what should I say? It was Muslim League’s demand and agenda. This is my responsibility to caution people. Now, people would have to decide as to whether this country should be run on Sharia law or by the spirit of the Constitution.”

He asked why Congress did not conduct caste census during the last 55 years of its rule. Targetting Congress, Shah said that it (Congress) did not give reservation to OBC children in central educational institutions; it was given by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “If there is any party, which is anti-backward, it’s Congress,” he said.

With regard to his doctored video, he stated that legal action would be taken against those fiddled with it to mislead people as this was illegal. He said that BJP would emerge as a bigger party than Congress in South India.

He reiterated that the Constitution did not allow any reservation based on religion. “Congress, following minority appeasement policy, gave reservation to Muslims by reducing reservation of SCs, STs and OBCs,” Shah said.

He asserted that the High Court had taken suo-moto cognizance in the Sandesh Khalli case. In response to a query about opposition charges that BJP was relying on Ram-Lehar ignoring real issues of unprecedented inflation and unemployment, he enlisted achievements of the Modi government during the last ten years.

“One Crore women became Lakhpati Didi; a financial infrastructure worth Rs 10 lakh Cr was created and ten lakh youth were given employment. If 80 Cr people are still poor, as opposition is alleging, it is their legacy. We took 25 Cr people out of poverty. We are still providing them with free ration as they would need it for some time to sustain,” he said.

Shah stated that UCC had a mandate of the constitution and BJP would try to implement it in its next five years. “To grant Citizenship is a subject of the Centre and not that of state government,” he said, in response to a query related to CAA.

“When I was imprisoned by the Congress government, I too had resigned,” Shah said, while responding to a query about Arvind Kejriwal. On electoral bonds, he said that Congress too procured electoral bonds worth Rs 1600 Cr.

“People of the country are not taking Rahul Gandhi seriously. He was launched twenty times yet the launch failed. Again, he is being launched,” he mocked.

“No case has been withdrawn or diluted against the politicians (from other parties) facing corruption charges, after they joined BJP,” he said.