Don't let those planning to repeal CAA and lock Ram temple form government: Union home minister Amit Shah

LUCKNOW/PRAYAGRAJ: Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the people will have to choose between 'Ram bhakts' who ensured completion of Ram temple in Ayodhya and those who were responsible for opening fire on 'kar sevaks'.

Addressing rallies in Prayagraj and Machhlishahr (Jaunpur) constituencies in support of BJP candidates Neeraj Tripathi and BP Saroj, respectively, Shah focused on issues like abrogation of Article 370, Ram temple, appeasement of minorities, and nepotism to attack the opposition.

He said that those talking about bringing back triple talaq and Article 370, putting lock on Ram temple and quashing CAA should not be allowed to form govt.

"I want to announce that after four phases of polling, BJP has already achieved the figure to form a majority govt and is heading towards its target of 400 seats," said Shah.

Training his guns at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and SP president Akhilesh Yadav, Shah said that voters should hold them accountable for minority appeasement.

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The Congress remained in govt for 70 years but could not construct Ram temple in Ayodhya. Samajwadi Party govt was responsible for firing on ‘kar sevaks’ during the temple movement,” said Shah. He accused the Congress and Samajwadi Party of creating “obstacles in the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya” for 70 years and said that PM Modi constructed it in just five years.

He accused SP and Congress for not attending ‘pran pratishtha’ (consecration) ceremony in Ayodhya, fearing “backlash from their vote bank”. “We are not afraid of anyone, and we built Ram temple and Kashi Vishwanath Corridor,” he said, adding that PM Modi worked for the revival of centres of cultural and religious importance. Lauding the Yogi Adityanath govt in Uttar Pradesh, Shah said that the CM eradicated mafia raj in the state. “We have a strong leadership and clear vision for the country’s progress while the INDIA bloc does not have a prime ministerial face yet.

You need to ask them that if they win, who would be their PM – Sharad Pawar, Mamata Banerjee, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav or Rahul Gandhi,” said Shah, adding that alliance members had been claiming that they would take turns to head the country for a year. He said that the parties which indulged in nepotism can never work for the youth. “Rahul baba, Bharat desh koi chooran ki dukan nahin hai, desh ko mazboot PM chahiye jo kathin nirnay le sake (The country is not a small shop, it needs a strong PM who can take tough decisions),” Shah said, adding that it was Modi’s vision and efforts which elevated India’s economy to fifth position from 11th spot in the last 10 years. “The meaning of making Narendra Modi PM for the third time would be that India would become the third biggest economic power in the world. Dairies would be set up in three lakh villages across the country,” he said. Shah alleged that Congress was in favour of dividing the country into North and South India and would bring another partition.

He urged the voters to realise the importance of strong defence forces, abrogation of Article 370 in J&K, national security and better law and order. “Congress protected Article 370 for 70 years but when people elected Narendra Modi as PM, he abrogated it. Rahul Gandhi feared bloodbath in Kashmir, but no one dared to throw even a single stone as it is Narendra Modi sarkar,” he added. On the Jammu & Kashmir issue, Shah said: “Khargeji (Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge) often questions what people of UP and Rajasthan have to do with Kashmir. Perhaps, he does not know that every child of Prayagraj cares as much about J&K and people here can even lay down their lives for it. Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is an integral part of India, and we will take it back.” “Under Congress govt, terror attacks were frequent in the country. The Modi govt conducted airstrikes and surgical strikes to end terrorism,” he added.