Shah began his speech in Kaushambi by asking the audience who they will elect in 2024, eliciting loud cries of “Modi” in response
India’s democracy is not in danger but dynasty and family-based politics is, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Friday, as he hit out at the Opposition over disruptions that marred the recently concluded Budget session of Parliament, and said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is on course to cross 300 seats in the 2024 polls.
At two functions in Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi and Azamgarh towns, Shah launched projects worth ₹5,180 crore, criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his comments in the UK last month, and said that abuses heaped on Prime Minister Narendra Modi only make the lotus — the BJP’s electoral symbol — bloom.
“They (the Opposition) claim that democracy is in danger. I say that it is their family-ism which is in danger. They say the idea of India is in danger but it is the idea of the dynasty that is in danger. The politics of dynasty and family autocracy is in danger,” Shah told an audience in Kaushambi.
“They kept democracy bound in casteism and nepotism for years but Modiji defeated these family, caste and appeasement-based political parties,” he added.
Shah began his speech in Kaushambi by asking the audience who they will elect in 2024, eliciting loud cries of “Modi” in response. “The Modi Modi chants are not only the voice of Kaushambi but also the entire nation,” Shah said.
He attacked the Opposition, saying for first time in the country’s history, Parliament’s budget session ended without any discussions. The session was nearly washed out because of protests by ruling party members, who demanded Rahul Gandhi apologise for his comments in the UK, and opposition parties, which wanted a joint parliamentary committee probe into allegations of fraud against the Adani Group.
Shah said opposition parties did not allow the House to function because of Gandhi’s disqualification as an MP. He lost his seat after a Surat court convicted him in a criminal defamation case and sentenced him to two years imprisonment. That verdict is now under challenge.
“The Supreme Court made this law through its decision. Former PM Manmohan Singh wanted to reform this law at that time to save Lalu Prasad Yadav and it was Rahul Gandhi who had stopped him,” he said, adding that 17 lawmakers had lost their seats under this law. “But when Rahul Gandhi faced the same consequence strictly as per law, the Congress blocked Parliament, wearing black clothes in protest.”
“I want to remind Rahul Gandhi that it is the duty of every citizen to follow the law. You were an MP. Challenge this decision, but you have chosen to sacrifice the invaluable time of Parliament over this. The people will not forgive you,” he said.
In contrast, he said, PM Modi secured India, enriched India, and earned respect for India across the globe. “But the Congress chants slogans threatening to dig a grave for him. I want to tell the Congress that every time they hurled abuses at Modiji, the people of India made the lotus bloom,” he added.
Blaming Gandhi for defaming India abroad, Shah said that the BJP was ready to take on his “fake” narrative in India. “What does he think? Are people not watching his activities? The people of India observe everything and decide accordingly. For the last ten years they have been watching the opposition, hence rest assured that this time around the people of India will elect Modiji again with more than 300 seats,” Shah said.