Cong, RJD leaders did not attend Ram temple consecration because of ‘Ghushpathiye’ vote bank: Shah

PTI, May 19, 2024, 8:12 PM IST

Launching a scathing on INDIA bloc leaders, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday accused the Congress and RJD leaders of not attending the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya due to their ‘Ghushpathiye’ (infiltrator) vote bank.

Addressing an election rally at Bettiah in West Champaran district in support of BJP’s Sanjay Jaiswal, who is seeking re-election from Paschim Champaran Lok Sabha constituency, Shah said, ”Congress and RJD were against the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya from the very beginning. Invitations for the ceremony were sent to them, but they did not come because of their ‘Ghushpathiye’ vote bank.” Shah accused Congress and RJD leaders of being scared that attending the ceremony would offend their vote bank.

The Home Minister asserted, ”After completion of the four phases of Lok Sabha elections, I can tell you the result. Modi ji has already crossed the winning mark of 270 seats. Lalu ji’s party RJD will not get even four seats and Rahul Baba’s party Congress won’t even manage 40. The INDIA bloc will face a humiliating defeat in this election.” Shah accused the Congress and its alliance partners of spreading lies that the NDA intends to end reservations if it returns to power for a third term.

”In fact, the Congress and RJD are trying to rob the SCs, STs and OBCs of their quotas and divert those to the Muslims. Lalu ji talks about giving cent per cent reservation to Muslims. The NDA under the leadership of Modi ji will not allow this to happen. Lalu Prasad has joined hands with the Congress in his attempt to make his son the CM,” Shah added.

”It was the Congress government that delayed the report of the Kakasaheb Kalelkar Commission, which was set up to investigate the condition of socially and educationally backward classes. People of Bihar don’t want the return of ‘jungelraj’ of RJD’s regime”, he said.

Shah criticised the opposition for raising fears about Pakistan’s atomic power, saying, ”Congress leader Manishankar Aiyar and ally Farooq Abdullah tried to scare us by saying that we cannot take back PoK because Pakistan has atom bombs. PoK belongs to India. It will remain so. We will claim it back.” ”During Congress regime, terror strikes in J&K were routine. Har roj aatankwadi Bharat mein ghus kar terror strikes karte thee (Everyday terrorists from Pakistan used to carry out strikes in India). But when NDA government-led by Modi came to power at the Centre, we carried out surgical strikes and destroyed terror camps in Pakistan. Now protests have started in PoK. The slogans of ‘azadi’ which were heard here earlier, the same slogans are now heard in PoK. Earlier stones were pelted here, now stones are pelted in PoK,” Shah said.

He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for respecting people from backward classes and predicted a landslide victory for the NDA in Bihar. ”The NDA under the leadership of Modi will win 400-plus seats. Modi ji has done a lot for Bihar. The Congress-led UPA government had given only Rs 2.80 lakh-crore to Bihar whereas, Modi gave Rs 11.80 lakh-crore in the last 10 years”, he added.

He added that Congress and RJD never worked for the development of poor people and cannot think of the betterment of Bihar.

Shah also took a jibe at the opposition for not having a PM face. ”The country has decided to give Modi a third term. Just imagine, though its not going to happen, but who will be the PM face of the INDIA bloc? Will Mamata Banrjee become (the PM) or MK Stalin or Uddhav Thackeray. Kejriwal can’t because he has to go behind the bars on June 1. I will take another name. Please don’t laugh. Can Rahul baba become the PM?” Shah said.

He claimed that the opposition has decided to ”rotate the PM’s term” between them. ”I must say that this is not like running a grocery shop. If a situation like a pandemic (Covid) arises, can they save the country? Will they be able to save the country from terrorists”, the Home Minister added. Paschim Champaran, Valmiki Nagar, Purvi Champaran, Sheohar, Vaishali, Gopalganj, Siwan, and Maharajganj will go to polls on May 25 (sixth phase).