This Article is From Sep 09, 2018

Congress Backing "Urban Naxals" Is Vote Bank Politics: Amit Shah

Amit Shah congratulated the Maharahtra government and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for his action against the activists

BJP president Amit Shah arrives at National Executive in the capital on Sunday

New Delhi:

Launching a blistering attack on the Opposition, BJP chief Amit Shah on Saturday, called the proposed 'mahagathbandhan' an "illusion, eyewash and sham." The BJP said the Narendra Modi government works for "making India" while the Congress' political game plan is "breaking India" for "self- interest." 

Top minister in the government Nirmala Sitharaman, who led the party's interaction with the media, said at a press conference that the party president referred to the subject of urban Naxals and said that the Congress speaks about this issue as part of its vote bank politics. He also congratulated the Maharashtra government and the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for his action against the activists allegedly linked with the Bhima Koregaon case.

The BJP would return to power in 2019 with a "bigger majority than what it got in 2014", Ms Sitharaman quoted the BJP chief. Mr Shah has asked party office bearers to build a narrative around development and nationalism, while painting the Opposition as those sympathising with "urban Naxals". 

The defence minister said her party chief termed the Opposition as "disruptionists" and added that it no longer seemed to be representing the voice of the people in Parliament. "People will never forgive it (Opposition) for this crime," Mr Shah said, according to an official statement.

The BJP chief, at the National Executive, has asked party workers to organise various events on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary on October 2 and observe September 28 -the day army carried out surgical strikes across the Line of Control in 2016 - as the "Shaurya Diwas". The party will also observe "sewa saptah" or service week between September 17 and 25, Mr Shah said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his top ministers and the chief ministers of the BJP-ruled states, were in attendance as Mr Shah asserted that the party will return to power in 2019 on the basis of the government's performance, the PM's charismatic leadership and its organisational strength.

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