Mumbai: As he launched BJP’s preparations for the forthcoming Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah described Sharad Pawar as “corruption ka sargana” and Uddhav Thackeray as “leader of Aurangzeb fan club”.
Coming down heavily on Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Shah said that his arrogance would be crushed after the Congress’ defeat in the ensuing Assembly polls in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand.
Shah, the BJP’s chief strategist also praised the BJP-led Maha Yuti (NDA) dispensation in Maharashtra for launching multiple schemes aimed at welfare of the people.
“As far as the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis-Ajit Pawar is concerned, it is they only who had given reservation to the Marathas,” he said.
Addressing the grand BJP office-bearers meeting in Pune, Shah launched a scathing attack at Maha Vikas Aghadi (I.N.D.I.A) partners - Congress, Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) - which had dealt a heavy blow to the NDA in the Lok Sabha polls.
Hitting out at Pawar, a former Union Agriculture Minister, Shah said: “Sharad Pawar is corruption ka ‘sargana’ (kingpin)…if there is anyone who has institutionalised corruption in this country, it is Sharad Pawar…thats not going to work any more.”
On Thackeray, who is a former ally, Shah said: “There is an ‘Aurangzeb fan club’, which cannot ensure India’s security…do you know about it or not?… Uddhav Thackeray is the leader of the Aurangzeb Fan club. He shares his meals with people involved with Mohamed Ajmal Kasab (the lone fidayeen caught during 26/11 terror attacks)…he is sitting with people that sought clemency for (1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict) Yakub Memon…he supports those who gave (controversial Islamic preacher) Zakir Naik a messenger of peace award, he supports those who support PFI and stands against renaming Aurangabad as Sambhaji Nagar. This fan club cannot make Maharashtra and India safe. It’s only the BJP that can ensure the safety and security of all.”
Hitting out at the Congress and Gandhi, he said: “If we combine the seats won by Congress in the past 3 elections, even then they can not breach the 240-seat mark… In this election, the people of India have given Modi their stamp of approval. BJP has stood victorious for the third time.”
Shah also said that before the Lok Sabha elections, Congress and its allies have created a fake narrative that the Constitution is going to be changed and reservations would end. “If anyone has strengthened reservation, it is Modi, who has undertaken several measures in the last 10 years,” he said.
He also hit out at Pawar on the issue of Maratha reservation. “Whenever BJP government is there, Marathas are given reservation and whenever a government in which Pawar is there, the reservations scrapped….in Maharashtra, every time BJP comes to power, we enable Maratha reservation. Whereas, the Pawar government always disables it whenever they get a chance. In 2014, under Devendra Fadnavis as the Chief Minister, you got the Maratha reservation. If you want to continue the Maratha reservation, you must make the BJP win,” he said.
Hailing the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said that Pakistan has been silenced by way of air-strikes and surgical-strikes. “Let me assure you, in another two years, Naxalism would be wiped out,” he said.