Union home minister Amit Shah has spoken on a host of election-time issues in an exclusive interview with News18 Network. In a candid discussion with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, Shah has exuded confidence that the NDA is on track to achieving its “400 paar” target. He has called Neha Hiremath’s murder in Karnataka a case of “love jihad” and also launched a scathing attack on the Congress party’s manifesto. Full text:
RAHUL JOSHI: Amit ji, thank you very much for this exclusive interview with News18 Network. We are in your city, your constituency Gandhinagar, at the Sabarmati Riverfront. Let’s begin. If you look at the first two phases, and this is being discussed a lot, the voter turnout has been low, in some states by 5-6%. So your slogan is ‘400 paar’, 370 for the Bharatiya Janata Party. Is that on track?
AMIT SHAH: It is absolutely on track. You will see on counting day, before 12.30 pm, NDA will cross 400, Modi ji will again become Prime Minister. There are many reasons for the lower turnout. After twelve years, the electoral rolls have been revised. The second reason is that there is no contest from the other side, which affects the turnout in a way.
My party’s team and I have done a detailed analysis. We are moving towards the third phase with well over 100 seats from the first two. I don’t see any problem in crossing the target of 400.
RAHUL JOSHI: First let us start with the important issues. What are those issues with which the Bharatiya Janata Party is going to the people for the third time? If you could tell us briefly about the achievements that you would take to the public.
AMIT SHAH: Firstly, terrorism and Naxalism had been two major scourges for democracy and development in this country for decades. Narendra Modiji has got us almost 100% freedom from terrorism in ten years and you could say Naxalism has been eliminated by around 95%. Today Naxalism has been completely finished off in the seven states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. It remains only in four districts of Chhattisgarh, where the Bharatiya Janata Party has now formed the government, and just in the past three months, almost 100 Naxalites have been killed. I am fully confident that after Modiji becomes the Prime Minister for the third time, the country will get rid of Naxalism within one or two years.
The second big challenge is that the country’s economy was in a shambles because of all the mismanagement, policies were not being made, production activities had slowed down, exports were in free fall, the balance sheets of all the public sector banks of the country could not be made honestly. This was the situation. Inflation was touching the sky, and all the 16 parameters of the budget were negative. But in just 10 years, Narendra Modiji has brought about a sea change. The share market is skyrocketing. Even after selling by FIIs, Indian mutual funds have bolstered the market. Due to the PLI scheme and a strong ecosystem, India has become a favourite destination for manufacturing in the whole world. Our children are registering start-ups every day, our companies are registering patents daily, a lot of self-employment opportunities have been created. The balance sheets of all the banks have become very healthy. All the industrial growth parameters are at the topmost markings of 25 years. Exports are surging ahead while breaking records.
Similarly, the sectors which are going to drive the world economy for the next 25 years, India has become a pioneer in all those areas today, such as green hydrogen manufacturing, semiconductors, though we are a little late, electrical motor vehicle, battery production, space, again, though we are a little late, but defence too. In many such areas which are going to determine the direction and fate of the world economy for the next 25 years, today India has laid a strong foundation there and a big building is to be built on this foundation.
So the economy has also improved, it has also become safe. The country was number 11 in the list of economies, now it is fifth. Be it village or city, forest or desert, coast or city, work is being done for the development of infrastructure everywhere. Today, 10 lakh crore rupees being spent on infrastructure from the budget has become common for India. GST collection and direct tax collection are breaking all their own records. Narendra Modi has also done great work in strengthening the borders of the country.
It is the responsibility of the nation’s leadership to build trust among the people that the future of India is bright and Narendra Modi has succeeded in that in a big way. Today, 130 crore people are moving ahead with confidence that we can become number 1 in the world. Whether it is higher education, new economic policy, or Ram Janmabhoomi, ending Article 370 sections, triple talaq, bringing UCC or fundamental changes in the criminal laws of the country, these 10 years will be written about in golden letters in every field. People are also feeling that a pandemic like corona could be fought off so effectively only because of the work of Narendra Modi.
RAHUL JOSHI: Your knowledge of financial and economic issues is, of course, excellent and you answered this in great detail. I have a related question. When your party’s campaign began, for a few months we saw the government talking about economy, development, all those things that you just mentioned, and taking those issues amid the people. After the first phase, it turned towards issues like appeasement, Hindu-Muslim. Your party attacked the Congress manifesto, the Prime Minister said in a rally in Rajasthan that there is a stench of Urban Naxal and Maoist thoughts in this. Where did that come from?
AMIT SHAH: It is our responsibility to expose the intentions of those who contest elections against us. Tell me, in this era, can any political party talk of personal laws? Will the country run on the basis of Sharia? On the one hand, in our manifesto, in our Sankalp Patra, we talk about bringing a uniform civil code. Congress is saying that it will promote personal laws. The Congress must answer because this is a very important issue.
RAHUL JOSHI: That is why you are saying that it is the imprint of the Muslim League?
AMIT SHAH: Exactly, it is the imprint of the Muslim League… They are saying that for the contracts of the country, they will give priority to minorities. Who is the first lowest, what is the past performance, whether they have the capability to do the work or not, will contracts be decided on the basis of this or on the basis of religion? How do they want to run the country? The people of the country will have to decide. After a long time, Narendra Modi ji has taken the country out of the politics of appeasement. They want to take it back in the same direction again because the Congress does not have the confidence to win.
RAHUL JOSHI: The Prime Minister also said in the rally that the savings of everyone will be checked and the wealth will be redistributed among Muslims and infiltrators. Where does this come from?
AMIT SHAH: It comes from the statement of the then Prime Minister of the country, Manmohan Singh, which was a very famous statement that the minorities have the first right to the resources of this country, and among the minorities, particularly Muslims. Now when it comes to distributing wealth, it will be from resources only. The government will distribute it by taking people’s property. And I say that if this is not true, then the Congress party should clarify what this means.
RAHUL JOSHI: No, Rahul Gandhi has clearly said that if they form the government, there will be a ‘nationwide X-ray’ to determine the socio-economic status of the people, how much wealth which caste or section has, how much money, how much share in institutions, and on that basis there will be redistribution.
AMIT SHAH: So on that basis in redistribution, their priority is set.
RAHUL JOSHI: He is saying this is the only way to end inequality…
AMIT SHAH: That’s his thinking. I think that such an old party has outsourced the making of its manifesto to minorities and people from the extreme Left.
RAHUL JOSHI: So where did the issue of ‘mangalsutra’ come from? Is that also…
AMIT SHAH: Naturally, when the issue of wealth comes, all these things are included.
RAHUL JOSHI: So there’s Streedhan…
AMIT SHAH: People’s savings, property…
RAHUL JOSHI: Sam Pitroda spoke about inheritance tax. What is your take on that?
AMIT SHAH: I feel that Sam Pitroda is living in an ivory tower. He has no connection with the culture of this country, the mood of the people, and the traditions of this country.
RAHUL JOSHI: So you will never bring any inheritance tax?
AMIT SHAH: We have placed our Sankalp Patra in front of the people with total transparency. All the facts are there. We will not do anything covertly.
RAHUL JOSHI: Another thing that is being discussed right now is that after seeing the manifesto of the Congress, your party is saying that they will reduce OBC reservation and give it to Muslims…
AMIT SHAH: This is not mentioned in this manifesto, this is what their government has already done in Karnataka. Overnight all the Muslims of Karnataka were made backward. No survey for backwardness was done, no commission was formed. All the people were declared backward on the basis of religion. And they were given reservation. And the reservation that was reduced was of OBCs.
Similarly, when they had government in united Andhra Pradesh, they gave reservation to Muslims. So, whose reservation was reduced? Of course, of SCs, STs, and OBCs.
When I said that we would end the reservation on the basis of religion, then my video was distorted and presented in front of the public.
After Rahul Gandhi took over the command of Congress’s politics, he has been consistently bringing down the level of politics in an unprecedented way. You cannot debate in Parliament, they create chaos, boycott, not let people speak, not participate in debates, and then go out and tell the world that injustice is being done to them. What do they think about the people of this country? That the public does not know all this? The people of the country know all these things very well. There should be healthy debate in a democracy. And you people also do not ask them anything. You people should also ask. But you people ask questions only to us, you do not ask them.
RAHUL JOSHI: We are asking them as well, our team is doing that. One issue is the question of the Caste Census. They talk about it and say ‘Jitni Abadi Utna Haq’. How do you see that?
AMIT SHAH: For how many years has the Congress been in power in this country? It was in power for 55 years. It has never done anything. Now when they are losing continuously, they are saying all these things; this is not their intention.
If there is any party in this country that is against the backward class, then it is only one party, the Congress party. They did not open the Kakasaheb Kalelkar Commission for years. They suppressed the Mandal Commission. OBC and backward class people were not given reservation in central institutions. When the Mandal Commission recommendations were being implemented, as opposition leader Rajiv Gandhi had delivered a speech in protest for two hours. Rahul Gandhi should read that speech.
And we have given the country the most successful Prime Minister from the backward class and a poor family, a natural leader in the form of Narendra Modi.
RAHUL JOSHI: Is this a narrative-building exercise that if you get more than 400 seats then you will change Babasaheb’s Constitution and then make changes to OBC, SC, ST reservations? Do you think that’s the narrative being created?
AMIT SHAH: We have been in majority for ten years. The people of this country have given Narendra Modi the power to change the Constitution for ten years.
What have we done in these ten years? We never tried to end reservation. We used our majority to abrogate Article 370, to end triple talaq, to bring UCC, to change the laws of the British, to bring peace in Kashmir. We have had the right for ten years.
Rahul Gandhi has a rule — lie, lie loudly, lie repeatedly. And he is following that rule.
RAHUL JOSHI: Do you think that this is why he keeps repeating this narrative?
AMIT SHAH: No narrative has been formed. We have had this right for ten years.
RAHUL JOSHI: You spoke about security, so I would like to talk a little about this as well. You have said that recently you have cracked down on Naxals. You have said that in 2-3 years you will finish them in Chhattisgarh also. Some Congress leaders called them martyrs. How do you view this?
AMIT SHAH: See, Tulsidas ji has said in Ramcharitmanas that whoever is going through bad times, Lord Ram first takes away their wisdom. That time has probably come for Congress people also. Our soldiers are risking their lives and conducting operations inside dense forests, killing Naxals. Naxalites say that their cadre has been killed. And the Congress party says that it is a fake encounter. Only God can save them. Or perhaps even God cannot save them.
RAHUL JOSHI: Your government has done a lot of great work in this past term. You have abrogated Article 370, you have implemented CAA, brought the criminal procedure laws. You have done a lot of such great work. But if you look at the opposition today, many opposition leaders say that they will bring back Article 370, they will not allow CAA to be implemented. And these are big leaders like Mamata Banerjee, Chidambaram ji. They say such things. So how do you see this? What would you like to say?
AMIT SHAH: This is their trick to get the votes of minorities. Neither will they come to power nor will Article 370 come back. Neither will they come to power nor will CAA be repealed. They also know this. But they want to book minority votes by doing minority appeasement. This is the only reason they are spreading these lies.
In this interview, I want to tell the people of the country through you that as long as there is even a single MP of Bharatiya Janata Party in Parliament, Article 370 cannot come back, CAA cannot be abolished. Now Article 370 has become history, and CAA has become a reality.
RAHUL JOSHI: Have you just abruptly implemented this or will people get citizenship through this route as well? When will this become possible? What is the timeframe?
AMIT SHAH: Applications have started to come in. Scrutiny is happening according to the rules. And I think before the elections, before the last phase, the process of giving citizenship will start.
RAHUL JOSHI: Amit ji, you all are talking about uniform civil code. Congress is talking about personal laws. How do you see this? Somewhere, are both sides just appeasing their own voters?
AMIT SHAH: Not at all. Uniform civil code is the mandate of our Constitution, the guiding principles that the Constitution has given us that the legislature and Parliament of the country will have to make efforts at the right time to implement uniform civil code in this country.
I think the right time has come. And we are not saying this today. Before our party was formed, it was in the manifesto that there should not be any religious laws in the country, there should be uniform civil code. If this a secular country, how can there be laws on the basis of religion? There should not be.
RAHUL JOSHI: Salman Khurshid, just a few days ago… his statement is going viral, when he was saying that the UPA-1 and UPA-2 governments were formed only because Congress could claw back enlightened Muslims into its fold. How do you see this?
AMIT SHAH: This exactly must be the basis of their manifesto. Salman Khurshid has let out the secret of why their manifesto is what it is… They want to do the same thing. But they don’t realise that the people of the country are now aware.
Your appeasement policy will not succeed now because when you do appeasement towards one group, a second one will counterproductively unite on the other side with that awareness. Now it will not succeed.
RAHUL JOSHI: There has been a discussion about infiltrators. You implemented CAA. But there is no mention of NRC in your manifesto. Why is that?
AMIT SHAH: Look, the implementation of CAA was delayed due to Covid. And we believe that CAA should be implemented first. That process is going on.
As far as the question of infiltration is concerned, now it is happening only in one state. West Bengal. Because it has the Mamata Banerjee government’s blessings. That’s because she sees infiltrators as a vote bank. They do not see infiltration as a national security threat. They think that their vote bank is growing. This is very dangerous thinking not only for Bengal but for the entire country.
I want to make a heartfelt appeal to the people of Bengal that make the BJP successful this time. After that, ensure the formation of a BJP government there. We will build such a border that not even a bird will be able to sneak across.
RAHUL JOSHI: Is this why they are opposing CAA? They are saying that they will never allow CAA to be implemented.
AMIT SHAH: They do not know that citizenship is a central subject and the state government has nothing to do with it. Maybe they know but they say this to mislead the minorities.
RAHUL JOSHI: Amit ji, on January 22, the Pran Pratishtha at Ram Mandir took place. This was a big promise of yours which you fulfilled. But the opposition says that today in this election you are asking for votes in the name of Ram.
AMIT SHAH: We used to get votes in the name of Ram when the temple was not built and we used to say that we will build it. We in fact ended the reason to ask for votes.
The opposition is worried and the whole country is angry with them because when the Ram Mandir was built peacefully, constitutionally, and Pran Pratishtha was happening, they boycotted it. They did not go to the Pran Pratishtha of Lord Ram out of fear of annoying the minorities. That is why the whole country is angry with them.
We never said that give us votes because we built the Ram temple. The citizens of the country know that these people had kept the issue hanging for seventy years. Modi ji won the case in five years, did the Bhoomi Pujan, and also did the Pran Pratishtha. And now a grand Ram temple that gladdens the entire country is coming up.
RAHUL JOSHI: One last question I want to ask you about the Hindu-Muslim debate that has been happening, which is that the Prime Minister did an outreach towards Pasmanda Muslims about a year ago, spoke about them, and he also thinks a lot about them. On the one hand, this is being discussed, and on the other, isn’t there a contradiction in this?
AMIT SHAH: Not at all. The Prime Minister has not only reached out to the Pasmanda Muslims. He has done it for tribals, Dalits, backward classes, the poor, the farmers, the women and ‘matra shakti’, and the youth as well. That is his work, it is his duty.
It is the responsibility of the government to bring those who are lagging behind in the race of development to the same level as everyone else. I don’t see any contradiction in this.
RAHUL JOSHI: It’s election season, you are with us, and people talk about your predictions for a long time that Amitji had said this earlier, and it turned out to be accurate. So let’s go to some states. We are in Gujarat with you, so let’s start with Gujarat. In the last two elections, you got all 26 seats. Are you hopeful of a hat trick?
AMIT SHAH: Certainly, we will get all 26 seats in Gujarat. And the margins will also be higher than in the 2019 elections for all seats.
RAHUL JOSHI: There has been some talk that kshatriyas are a little upset with your leaders…
AMIT SHAH: We are constantly communicating with them. I have full faith that everything will be fine. We will win all 26 seats and our margins will also go up.
RAHUL JOSHI: Let’s go to Karnataka next. It is an important election for you. The last time you had a big victory there but you also faced defeat in the recent assembly elections. How do you see Karnataka, especially after the Revanna episode, on which you have also given a statement in a press conference? How do you see the situation of the exploited women there, because the party has a tie-up with you, you have an alliance with them. So will you come under the pressure of the alliance? What strict action will you take?
AMIT SHAH: I have made the stand of the Bharatiya Janata Party clear that the strictest steps should be taken. But Priyanka ji and Rahul ji are saying why steps are not being taken. Perhaps they do not understand the position. The law and order of a state has to be dealt with by the state government. And they are in power there. They have to take the steps, not us.
But the Bharatiya Janata Party strongly condemns this incident. No matter who it is or what the situation is, this cannot be tolerated, and the strictest steps should be taken. And the Women’s Commission of the Government of India has also issued a notice to the Karnataka government on this.
RAHUL JOSHI: So there is no pressure of the alliance? You will not buckle under it?
AMIT SHAH: There is no pressure on us, nor will we come under pressure.
RAHUL JOSHI: There was also the Neha Hiremath case. The case has been given the colour of love jihad…
AMIT SHAH: No, not colour. It is definitely a case of love jihad.
RAHUL JOSHI: That is what I wanted to ask you. But the chief minister and home minister said it was a personal matter.
AMIT SHAH: They said that for their minority vote bank. Tell me one thing. Should any girl get security on the college campus or not? This is how a murder happens and by calling it a personal matter, you are trying to cover up a societal evil. And just for vote bank politics.
They even mistake bomb blasts for gas cylinder blasts. When NIA investigates, it uncovers the truth. There were no bomb blasts in Bengaluru for 10 years. Their government came, the SDPI supported it, and now bomb blasts have started happening.
How low will they go because of their vote bank politics? The security of the country, the security of Bengaluru, the security of Karnataka, all this has been neglected by the Congress party.
RAHUL JOSHI: With all this in mind, how many seats do you give the Bharatiya Janata Party and its alliance in Karnataka?
AMIT SHAH: One election is yet to be held, but I think that more or less we will keep our position intact.
RAHUL JOSHI: About the same number of seats that you had earlier. This is a big statement from you. Moving towards Maharashtra, a strange situation exists there. Two parties have split. One faction of each is with you. They are fighting over who is original. But in such a situation, do you think that there can be some sympathy for Uddhav and Sharad Pawar?
AMIT SHAH: The people of Maharashtra are with Modiji, whoever is with Modiji will get votes. This election is being fought to decide who becomes the country’s Prime Minister. There are two sides. One is the NDA under the leadership of Narendra Modiji. And the other is Rahul Baba, Sharad Pawar, Mamata Didi, Stalin, Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu Yadav, who are heading the INDI Alliance, which has no leader.
Now the people of the country have to decide which person to pick. On the one hand is the INDI Alliance responsible for scams and corruption worth Rs 12 lakh crore. On the other hand, there is Narendra Modi who despite being a chief minister and Prime Minister for 23 years has never been accused of corruption of even twenty-five paise. On the one hand, there is a group that goes on vacations as soon as the summers come. Foreign vacations because the heat is very high here. And on the other hand, there is Narendra Modi who did not take leave even on the day of Diwali for 23 years and celebrated Diwali with the soldiers at the border. On the one hand, there are political parties that work for their sons, daughters, nephews, and daughters-in-law, and on the other hand, there is Narendra Modi who works for the poor, the women, the farmers, and the youth of the country.
So, the people of the country have to decide whether they want a person who will protect the nation or those who will put the country at risk for votes. Do they want a person who will develop the economy of the country or those who will sink the economy? The people of the country have decided Rahulji, the people of the country are with Narendra Modi ji, and the party which is with Modi ji will get votes. This election is to make Narendra Modi ji the Prime Minister.
RAHUL JOSHI: You got 41 seats the last time when you had an alliance. This time…
AMIT SHAH: Let the results come. You will be surprised. We will get to 400 from there.
RAHUL JOSHI: So you have full confidence from Maharashtra that you will definitely win 41?
AMIT SHAH: Sure, the figure of 41 may become 40 or 42, but the result will be more or less the same. Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, we will repeat the results there. In Uttar Pradesh, we will increase our seats by five to seven. In Odisha, we will go up to 16. And in Assam also we will go above twelve, it may be twelve. In West Bengal, we will win at least thirty seats.
RAHUL JOSHI: The last time you had told me 25 in an interview. With 30, we can now add and see if 370 will be crossed. You have given us all the numbers. In Odisha, there is no friendship any longer. You’ll (BJP and BJD) have gone separate ways. In an interview with me, the PM said this is about Odisha’s reputation this time. How do you see it?
AMIT SHAH: I clearly believe that Odisha is lagging in terms of development. Along with this, the language of Odisha, the culture of Odisha, the fabric of Odisha and its dignity are also being seriously hurt. The Bharatiya Janata Party believes that the culture of any state should not be tampered with. The development of every state should take place by exploiting its maximum potential, which is not happening in Odisha at the moment. That is why we have decided that we will fight separately. I am fully confident that this time the people of Odisha will bless the Bharatiya Janata Party under the leadership of Modi ji.
RAHUL JOSHI: You gave a big number for the Lok Sabha elections. How do you view the state elections?
AMIT SHAH: Assessment is still ongoing… I have only had one round, assessment will happen, but I can say with certainty that the people of Odisha will bless the Bharatiya Janata Party this time.
RAHUL JOSHI: In the state elections?
AMIT SHAH: Yes.
RAHUL JOSHI: In Uttar Pradesh, you said the number of seats won will increase from the last time?
AMIT SHAH: In Uttar Pradesh, increasing seats means… if everything goes well, we can win 80 out of 80.
RAHUL JOSHI: This is a very big statement. So, your record of 2014 will be broken?
AMIT SHAH: Yes, in Uttar Pradesh, if everything goes well, we will win 80 out of 80.
RAHUL JOSHI: This means that you will defeat Akhilesh in Kannauj, Dimple in Mainpuri, their entire family in Firozabad, Azamgarh…
AMIT SHAH: I have said it’s a possibility that we can win 80 out of 80. It is certain that our seats will increase.
RAHUL JOSHI: Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are still undecided about fighting the elections. Now, it is being said that they may not. How do you see this?
AMIT SHAH: These people have lost their self-confidence. They don’t have the self-confidence to fight even from their ancestral seat. If they didn’t want to fight, why have they kept the decision on the seat pending for so long? If they had given it to a worker, at least he could have done some public outreach. This confusion somewhere reflects the lack of self-confidence.
RAHUL JOSHI: Amit ji, we were in Bihar for a few days. The alliance that is getting formed there with Tejashwi and others is trying to cut votes in some of your seats.
AMIT SHAH: No questions arise.
RAHUL JOSHI: So, Bihar you are confident of repeating your performance?
AMIT SHAH: Yes.
RAHUL JOSHI: Talking about south India. This time, you’ll have spent a lot of time there. The Prime Minister has done multiple trips. You have toured there a lot and have given big statements too. So, if we look at the whole scene of south India, if we take 129-130 seats, how many seats do you see?
AMIT SHAH: In south, all four states combined, we will be ahead of Congress.
RAHUL JOSHI: How many total seats? Will you’ll open your account in Kerala and Tamil Nadu?
AMIT SHAH: We have fought a very good election and will definitely open our account. But estimating the seats there is a problem because there are very close fights.
RAHUL JOSHI: But in both the states? You will open your account in Kerala and Tamil Nadu?
AMIT SHAH: Yes, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
RAHUL JOSHI: How do you see Telangana and Andhra Pradesh?
AMIT SHAH: We have an alliance in Andhra Pradesh. We are fighting a very good election. It is just the beginning. We should perform very well in the Lok Sabha polls in Telangana. We could win our highest seats so far from there.
RAHUL JOSHI: Amit ji, one more question. Before this election, two CMs have been arrested. Kejriwal ji was arrested — he is still the Chief Minister. Hemant Soren ji is also in jail. Today the Supreme Court has asked a question to ED on the timing of the arrest. How do you see this?
AMIT SHAH: ED will explain that before the Supreme Court. But I want to tell you that they did not appear after many summonses. If they had appeared [before the agency] after the first summons, they would have been arrested six months before the elections. Many times summonses were sent, but they did not come.
RAHUL JOSHI: Kejriwal ji’s wife Sunita ji is saying that he is not being given insulin, that he is not being kept there properly, and that this is a conspiracy to kill him.
AMIT SHAH: Look, Tihar Jail comes under the Delhi government, whose Chief Minister is Kejriwal ji. So is he conspiring to kill himself?
RAHUL JOSHI: They are saying that the DG Prisons reports to Delhi Police.
AMIT SHAH: Not at all. Prisons report straight to the Delhi government.
RAHUL JOSHI: So, in this you [have no role]…
AMIT SHAH: No question at all.
RAHUL JOSHI: Supreme Court has ruled on EVMs. Opposition has been talking about EVM for a long time. They always shout slogans that BJP wins elections only because of EVM. Now, you people are talking about “one nation, one election”. They are talking about EVMs. Will you be able to do this — “one nation, one election”?
AMIT SHAH: I will first clarify one thing: Rahul Gandhi ji does not think about what he says.
If we won because of EVM, then why did we lose in Telangana, or in Tamil Nadu? Why have we been losing in Kerala for years? Why did we lose in Himachal and Bengal? Then Rahul Gandhi should say it clearly that “even if we [Congress] win in the outcome shown by EVMs, we will not take oath”. If they win, they take oath wearing new clothes. When they lose, they blame it on EVMs. What kind of politics is this? When you win, EVM is right. When you lose, EVM is useless. Don’t the people of the country understand all this?
The people of the country understand this, but I am surprised why such a big party does not change the advisor of its leader. I see from a distance. I am surprised.
Well, forget it, it is their party’s question. “One nation, one election” is the issue of our manifesto, and we will make every effort to implement it.
RAHUL JOSHI: So, in next the election in 2029, will there be “one nation, one election”?
AMIT SHAH: Parliament has to decide, but Bharatiya Janata Party will definitely try for it.
RAHUL JOSHI: Amit ji, let’s talk about some international issues. Washington Post has published an article in which they have said that R&AW, our intelligence agency, was plotting to kill some terrorists in the US. They have termed this as the dark side of Modi government. You already know about this in Canada…
AMIT SHAH: One should not think so seriously on basis such media reports. If there is any concrete allegation, the agencies will respond to it. If any government discusses with us through diplomatic methods, we will respond to it.
RAHUL JOSHI: In Canada, this was also discussed in context of Nijjar’s murder.
AMIT SHAH: I don’t believe that such allegations in the media raise any serious questions.
RAHUL JOSHI: There was another report in the Guardian about India killing 20 terrorists in Pakistan. R&AW using some people to kill them there. Terrorists were killed on Pakistan soil. What would you say about this?
AMIT SHAH: Who killed is something that has to be found out. But I can say this with certainty that now it’s established that there are people on Pakistan soil who spread terror in India.
RAHUL JOSHI: The Prime Minister is also saying this, many of your senior leaders are also saying it that this India is not the India that will stand and watch the spectacle from the sidelines. This is the India that will enter the house and kill. What are your views on this?
AMIT SHAH: Definitely. After the surgical strike and air strike, the whole world has understood that India’s border and the Indian army are not to be messed with. Otherwise, there will be a response.
RAHUL JOSHI: Many articles in the western media talk about electoral autocracy, dictatorship, all kinds of things in India. How do you view this? Is there any conspiracy in this, as it’s been appearing for the last three-four months during election time?
AMIT SHAH: Leave aside all conspiracies. I am saying this with great pride and confidence that our democracy, our democratic values, and our election; all three are the most transparent in the world, and the most trusted.
RAHUL JOSHI: Amit ji, a question on Kashmir. Will BJP contest elections in Kashmir? You have said that you’ll want to win people’s hearts there. So, this is a direct question, what will be your answer?
AMIT SHAH: The party has not decided yet. The party will decide. But traditionally, we have been fighting elections in Jammu.
RAHUL JOSHI: Congress is claiming one more thing. They are calling it a murder of democracy. The party is referring to Mukesh Dalal’s unopposed win in the elections from Surat. This has happened in Indore too.
AMIT SHAH: See, in our country, 37 people were elected unopposed, and most of them were from Congress. But Congress did not say any of this then. Every party must give tickets to its deserving workers. Congress party forcibly gives tickets to its workers. Sensing a loss, the worker runs away from the battlefield. What can the Bharatiya Janata Party do about this? It is not our job to get their candidates to stay, it is their job.
RAHUL JOSHI: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended an anti-India rally, where pro-Khalistan slogans were raised. There were posters of our Prime Minister and some cabinet ministers put up, calling them ‘wanted’. How do you view this?
AMIT SHAH: Indian government summoned the ambassador of that country (Canada) today and an explanation was also sought from him. We have also expressed our displeasure.
RAHUL JOSHI: So, will there be any further action taken on this?
AMIT SHAH: We will talk further once we get a response.
RAHUL JOSHI: You have been travelling extensively for the elections. You came here today after visiting three states and have given us so much time. Tomorrow, too, you are travelling to three states. How do you manage such a punishing schedule, when you have been doing it for months?
AMIT SHAH: I have done this for many years. I did it as a party worker at the lower level. That time there would be visits within state, now there are visits across the country.
RAHUL JOSHI: You are known to give the opposition sleepless nights? Do you get time to sleep?
AMIT SHAH: I never work with a negative mindset. It is my responsibility to secure a win for my party, and if that leads to someone having sleepless nights, then it’s their problem. Getting my party to win and working for it is my responsibility, and I do it with full dedication.
RAHUL JOSHI: Amit Ji, you took out time and answered all our questions. Thank you for coming here on the banks of Sabarmati and speaking to us. Thank you very much for the conversation.
AMIT SHAH: Thank you, Rahul ji.
Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
