Only BJP can rid UP of goondas, says Amit Shah

SAHARANPUR: Launching the first of four Parivartan Yatras that will cover all 403 UP constituencies in the next 50 days, BJP president Amit Shah spoke in Saharanpur on Saturday about a host of issues — from surgical strikes and the Kairana exodus to development, triple talaq and crime in the state.
In a surprise attack on some of the top Muslim leaders in opposition parties, Shah called them out by name and labelled them “goondas”.
“If SP has Atiq (Ahmad), Mukhtar (Ansari), Afzal (Ansari) and Azam (Khan), then BSP has Naseemuddin (Siddiqui), but there are no goondas in BJP,” he said, alleging that UP’s ruling party is mired in illegal mining cases and rampant corruption.
He reminded the gathering of the “good work” done during the Kalyan Singh government in the 1990s, the only time BJP was in full majority in the state, and how he had rid the state of all the goondas.
Coincidentally, on a day Shah flagged off the Parivartan Yatras, BJP strategists decided to rope in controversial MP from Gorakhpur Yogi Adityanath and firebrand leader from Faizabad Vinay Katiyar as its star campaigners for the yatra. The development comes days after PM Narendra Modi during Dussehra speech in Lucknow and Amit Shah during a rally at Etawah began their speeches with the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chant.
Touching upon the issue of alleged exodus of 250 families from Kairana town in Shamli, Shah said in Saharanpur, “There are villagers who are being forced to leave their villages.
Elect us and we will ensure no exodus takes place. Instead we will force elements who are forcing this exodus to leave.” Taking a dig at SP and BSP, Shah said, “Chacha (Shivpal) is abusing bhatija (Akhilesh) while bhatija is abusing chacha, and buaji (Mayawati) is abusing both... It is a choice between the devil and the deep sea for the people of this state.”