News Analysis India

Tag: Amit Shah

  • Governor Ms. Uike invited Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah to visit Chhattisgarh

    Governor Ms. Anusuiya Uike paid courtesy call on Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah in New Delhi today. The Governor honored the Union Home Minister Shri Shah with shawl and shriphal. Home Minister Shri Shah said that the tribal-rural areas of the state should be visited more and more. The government has made good plans for them which are being implemented. This implementation will be more effective by your tour in these areas. Also see that those schemes are implemented better. The Governor invited Mr. Shah to visit Chhattisgarh and discussed and provided information on other major issues including Naxalism in the state.

    The Governor thanked the Home Minister Mr. Shah for the decisions and initiatives taken during the Corona period and said that when the whole country was affected by the Corona crisis, important decisions were taken from time to time and the citizens were helped. Ms. Uyke said that when I requested you to provide information about the workers, students and citizens being stranded during the lockdown, then prompt action was taken by you, due to which citizens from different parts of the country could reach their homes. The Governor thanked Mr. Shah for this. He presented Mr. Shah a booklet titled “The Role of the Governor in the Coronas” based on the work done by him during the Corona period. Ms. Uike informed Mr. Shah about the various works done in the state during the Corona period.

  • Sanjay Raut responds to Amit Shah’s accusation, says ‘closed room’ benefited BJP as well

    By ANI
    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Monday responded to Union Minister Amit Shah’s attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray about promises made in a ‘closed room’, saying that the same closed room has benefited the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well.

    “In the same ‘closed room’ that Amit Shah is talking about, Balasaheb ji gave his blessings to the BJP and many senior leaders for Hindutva… PM Modi and Amit Shah have benefitted. Everyone knows this,” Raut told ANI.

    “Why should we (Shiv Sena) lie about anything? For power? Shiv Sena was not born for power,” he said, adding that for them, it was a temple, not a ‘closed room’.

    This comes a day after Amit Shah’s address in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district, where he had said, “Some people here say that we made promises in a closed room. It’s not true. Let’s assume the promise was made. All the candidates of Shiv Sena campaigned with 2.5 times bigger image of Modi Ji on banners and you asked for votes in his name.”

    Raut further said the Home Minister should listen to Devendra Fadnavis’ previous statements, where he made similar remarks in a press meet.

    “If we’re talking about ‘closed rooms’, the Home Minister should listen to the press conference that Devendra Fadnavis addressed in Hotel Blue Sea once again. He clearly said that in talks that took place in a ‘closed room’, Amit Shah and Uddhav ji were there. After that, it was decided that power-sharing and seat-sharing would be 50-50,” Raut added.

    The Thackeray-led Shiv Sena parted ways with the BJP after the Assembly polls in 2019 over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post in the state, and later forged an alliance with the NCP and Congress to come to power. 

  • Maha Vikas Aghadi government is like three-wheeler pulling in different directions: Amit Shah​

    By PTI
    KANKAVLI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra comprising Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress is like an auto-rickshaw whose three wheels were pulling in different directions.

    The senior BJP leader also said that ahead of the 2019 Assembly elections, his party did not promise Shiv Sena – then its alliance partner – to share the chief minister’s post.

    “I don’t make promises in closed rooms. Whatever I do, I do it openly. I don’t do politics in closed rooms,” Shah said.

    Speaking after inaugurating a private medical college at Kankavli in Sindhudurg district, Shah said, “This (MVA) is an unholy alliance and an outcome of betraying the people’s mandate which was for a BJP-Shiv Sena government led by (BJP’s) Devendra Fadnavis.”

    The MVA alliance is a result of the lust for power, Shah said.

    The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena parted ways with the BJP after the 2019 Assembly polls in over the issue of sharing the chief ministerial post with the BJP, and later forged an alliance with the NCP and Congress to come to power.

    Thackeray had claimed that Shah, who was then BJP president, had assured at his ‘Matoshree’ bungalow in Mumbai that the CM’s post would be shared by the two parties, and the BJP reneged on the promise.

    It is being claimed that the BJP broke the promise, Shah said, adding his party honours the promises it makes.

    “We don’t speak white lies. We are the ones who honour commitments. In Bihar, we had said that even if the BJP gets more seats, Nitish Kumar will continue to be the CM,” Shah said.

    Slamming Thackeray, Shah said the Shiv Sena leader addressed poll rallies with him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi before the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

    In the poll posters of Shiv Sena candidates, Modi’s pictures were bigger than Thackeray’s, Shah said.

    “We sought votes for the BJP-Sena alliance led by Fadnavis. Why didn’t you speak out then? You just garnered votes in Modi’s name,” he added.

  • Bengal election: JP Nadda to flag off BJP’s ‘Parivartan Yatra’ in Nadia

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: BJP national president JP Nadda will flag off Parivartan Yatra from Nabadwip in Nadia district on Saturday. 

    The district administration gave permission to hold the rally where Nadda is scheduled to address but the nod for the yatra is yet to come as a PIL challenging the event is pending in the Kolkata High Court.

    Sources, in the state administration said though the go ahead signal was not given for the yatra, but their application seeking permission has not been denied yet.   

    The Bengal BJP unit has planned to take out the event from the party’s five organisational zones. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to be present in one of the events which will start from Cooch Behar on February 11.

    “We have given permission for the rally at Nabadwip. But we have not given a go ahead for the Parivartan Yatra as a PIL is pending in the high court,’’ said a senior police officer.

    Earlier, the state BJP sought permission from Bengal home secretary HK Dwivedi to carry out the event. In a reply, the state secretariat said the party would have to apply for permission from the district authorities from where the event would start. In a recent meeting with the BJP’s Bengal functionaries in New Delhi, Shah instructed the party workers to carry out the Yatra even if the state government denies permission.

    Meanwhile, a BJP team led by Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta reached the Election Commission and urged additional polling booths be set up for the upcoming Assembly election. Apart from central armed police forces, the BJP also sought appointments of special observers in the poll-bound state. 

  • Bengal election: JP Nadda to flag off BJP’s ‘Parivartan Yatra’ in Nadia

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: BJP national president JP Nadda will flag off Parivartan Yatra from Nabadwip in Nadia district on Saturday. 

    The district administration gave permission to hold the rally where Nadda is scheduled to address but the nod for the yatra is yet to come as a PIL challenging the event is pending in the Kolkata High Court.

    Sources, in the state administration said though the go ahead signal was not given for the yatra, but their application seeking permission has not been denied yet.   

    The Bengal BJP unit has planned to take out the event from the party’s five organisational zones. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to be present in one of the events which will start from Cooch Behar on February 11.

    “We have given permission for the rally at Nabadwip. But we have not given a go ahead for the Parivartan Yatra as a PIL is pending in the high court,’’ said a senior police officer.

    Earlier, the state BJP sought permission from Bengal home secretary HK Dwivedi to carry out the event. In a reply, the state secretariat said the party would have to apply for permission from the district authorities from where the event would start. In a recent meeting with the BJP’s Bengal functionaries in New Delhi, Shah instructed the party workers to carry out the Yatra even if the state government denies permission.

    Meanwhile, a BJP team led by Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta reached the Election Commission and urged additional polling booths be set up for the upcoming Assembly election. Apart from central armed police forces, the BJP also sought appointments of special observers in the poll-bound state. 

  • Bengal polls: Mamata swings into action on Matuas’ citizenship issue

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: Banking on the sign of Matuas’ restlessness over the delay in rolling out of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which the BJP is trying hard to assuage, the ruling Trinamool Congress has swung into action to earn electoral dividend.

    The TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday convened a meeting of 4,000 members of scheduled caste (SC), the community Matuas belong to, and scheduled tribe (ST) wings of the party. She asked the SC members to launch aggressive campaign against the BJP’s false promise of giving Matuas citizenship by implementing the contentious CAA.

    The SC and ST members have been asked to showcase the BJP as a ‘party of liars’ in regions where tribal electorates are deciding factors.

    Sources in the ruling party said the CM did not want to miss the opportunity to use BJP’s embarrassment triggered by the cancellation of Union Home minister Amit Shah’s much awaited Bengal visit last month.

    ALSO READ | Bengal polls 2021: How Trinamool is losing narrative to BJP

    “Shah was scheduled to visit the Matua religious sect’s headquarters at Bongaon in north 24-Parganas and address on the issue of citizenship for the refugees migrated from Bagladesh that the BJP had promised in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Since election is approaching, Matuas wanted Shah to announce a deadline. After Shah’s Bengal visit was cancelled, Matuas are unhappy and we are trying to use their discontent in favour of us,” said a TMC leader.

    Matuas are deciding factor in 36 Assembly constituencies and majority of the community voted for the BJP in last year’s general elections.   

    Mamata Banerjee recently dismantled the TMC’s single cell dedicated to SC/ST/Other Backward Class (OBC) and set up separate wings to give dedicated representation to each of the communities. She also set up a dedicated development board for Matuas and granted a fund of Rs 10 crore.

    State Food and Supplies Minister Jyotipriya Mullick, who has been camping in Matua belt since Shah’s visit was cancelled, said the BJP has nothing to say on Matuas’ citizenship issue as the people of the Hindu religious sect realised the promise before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections was a trick to hoodwink them.

    “While visiting the Matuas’ headquarters after Shah’s visit was cancelled, BJP leaders said the dais, which was set up for the Union Home minister, would not be dismantled as the central minister would visit the area soon. It was another lie. Leaving the area would not be possible for BJP leaders without facing Matuas’ agitation,” said Mullick.

  • ‘India stands united’: Amit Shah as global celebrities lend voice to farmers’ protest

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said no propaganda can deter India’s unity or stop the country from attaining new heights, after American singer Rihanna and other celebrities and activists commented on the ongoing farmer protests.

    Rihanna, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, American actress Amanda Cerni, US Vice President Kamala Harris’ niece Meena Harris and several other prominent people took to Twitter to lend their voices to the months-long farmers’ protests against three newly enacted agri laws.

    “No propaganda can deter India’s unity! No propaganda can stop India to attain new heights! Propaganda can not decide India’s fate only ‘Progress’ can. India stands united and together to achieve progress,” Shah tweeted.

    No propaganda can deter India’s unity!No propaganda can stop India to attain new heights!Propaganda can not decide India’s fate only ‘Progress’ can.India stands united and together to achieve progress.#IndiaAgainstPropaganda#IndiaTogether https://t.co/ZJXYzGieCt
    — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) February 3, 2021

    The home minister’s tweet was posted with hashtags – #IndiaAgainstPropaganda and #IndiaTogether – that were used in the statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and in the tweets by top Union Ministers who spoke in similar vein.

    The MEA has slammed the remarks made by Rihanna and other celebrities and activists on farmer protests, saying the facts on the issue must be ascertained before rushing to comment on it.

    It also said that the “temptation” of sensationalist social media hashtags and views is “neither accurate nor responsible”.

    The tweets by the foreign celebrities created a splash on social and other media, and the related hashtags were among the top trends on Twitter.

  • Bengal polls: Rath yatras will be held no matter what, says Amit Shah

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has asked BJP’s Bengal functionaries to carry out the ‘Parivartan rath yatras’ even if the state administration denies permission.

    BJP’s state president Dilip Ghosh said the party might move to the court if the state government denies permission.

    Shah’s instruction came during the meeting with senior BJP leaders from Bengal in New Delhi on Tuesday. Sources in the saffron camp said Shah himself will be present in one of the yatras which will start from Cooch Behar in North Bengal on February 11.

    “Our high-command had planned the ‘Parivartan Yatra’ as part of the party’s state-wide campaign urging electorates to support the BJP for the change of guard in West Bengal in 2021. So the national leadership decided to take an aggressive stance to carry out the event,” said a senior BJP leader.

    The high-level meeting was conducted at the Delhi residence of BJP’s state president Dilip Ghosh where newly-inducted former Trinamool Congress minister Rajib Banerjee, party’s national vice president Mukul Roy, and national general secretary and Bengal observer Kailash Vijayvargiya were present.

    ALSO READ | CAA not a major factor in Bengal polls anymore as Centre gets six more months to prepare rules

    “The first Yatra from Nabadwip in Nadia district will be inaugurated by our national president JP Nadda on February 6. Amitji will be present in Cooch Behar on February 11,” said Vijayvargiya.

    Sources in the BJP said the decision on Shah’s presence in the Cooch Behar yatra was taken eyeing the upcoming Assembly elections. “We showed aggressive onslaught in north Bengal in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections by bagging seven seats out of eight. Cooch Behar district has nine Assembly constituencies and we secured the lead in eight of them. Among the electorates in the nine constituencies, more than 30% belong to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities which supported us. We want to retain the vote-share and this is why we wanted Shah to be present in the region,” said a senior BJP leader.

    With the rath yatras, the Bengal BJP has planned to launch the party’s aggressive poll-campaign. The Yatras from five points will travel across all 23 districts in the state and the party workers have been directed to carry out campaigns in all 294 Assembly constituencies.

    Responding to BJP’s application seeking a nod for the yatras, the state home secretary’s office said it was not under the state secretariat’s authority and therefore, the party should apply to the local administrations where they wanted to carry out the event.

  • Those saying Abhishek will be next Bengal CM are trying to create confusion: Trinamool hits back at Shah

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress said on Sunday that Mamata Banerjee will be the chief minister of West Bengal for the third time when the party is voted to power, asserting that those suggesting her nephew Abhishek Banerjee will be appointed to the top post are trying to create confusion.

    Speaking to reporters, senior TMC MP and spokesperson Saugata Roy said that the party has made it clear time and again that it is contesting the upcoming elections with Banerjee as the chief ministerial face.

    “Everyone knows that Mamata Banerjee will be our chief minister for the third time. How can Amit Shah make such a claim? There has been no talk in the party to appoint Abhishek as the future CM. Such claims are only aimed to create confusion,” Roy said.

    Addressing a BJP rally in Howrah virtually, Shah claimed that the agenda of the TMC dispensation is to make Banerjee’s nephew the next chief minister of the state.

    Hitting out at BJP leader Rajib Banerjee, Roy said that people like him are certainly “traitors” as they enjoyed every benefit of staying in power and deserted the party just before the elections.

    Rajib, who switched over to the BJP from TMC on Saturday, told the rally in Howrah that the more the leaders who changed sides are called traitors, the more they will get people’s support.

    Speaking at a press conference, TMC leader and state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said that leaders who are coming to the state ahead of the elections to “mislead the people” are justly called “outsiders”, in an apparent reference to Shah.

    She said people of different communities living in the state are not branded “outsiders” by her party, but those coming to the state for making false claims.

    Without naming anyone, Bhattacharya said MPs from Uttar Pradesh, “an unemployed” politician from Madhya Pradesh, a leader from Gujarat are coming to the state before the polls to mislead the people.

  • With Nadda, Shah at helm, BJP starts early to build Bengal poll campaign on ground

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  Even as an internal assessment shows the party reaching the halfway mark in the 294-member Bengal Assembly, BJP strategists are acutely aware of the well-oiled cadre of the ruling Trinamool Congress. 

    The BJP has taken an early start to the campaign for the Bengal election which is due in April-May. Former BJP chief Amit Shah and his successor J P Nadda are leading the saffron charge, with the former pushing the party leaders with the target to win over 200 seats.

    “The assessment within the party currently is that reaching the halfway mark is within the reach in the prevailing situations. The exodus of TMC leaders is giving the BJP much attention in the state. But the real challenge lies when the electioneering in the real sense begins and the manner in which the TMC responds to the BJP’s campaign,” said a senior BJP strategist. 

    The BJP strategists are monitoring on the alignment of the TMC cadre and the possible understanding with the Left-Congress combine on the ground.

    “The principal challenge remains to build the campaign on the ground, particularly in rural areas. This may get a boost with the induction of the TMC veterans who are regional satraps. But the TMC has an edge because of the strength of its cadre and the appeal of Mamata,” added the BJP strategist.       

    Within the BJP, the party leaders are counting on two scenarios on hypothetical joining of the forces from the ranks of TMC and the Left and the Congress. 

    “Either the BJP may not be able to build the campaign on the ground, which may restrict the party to two digits, or the ideological contradictions in rival camps may give a groundswell to take it beyond 200 seats on the lines of Uttar Pradesh. The BJP will need to match up to the power of the Trinamool and the Left on the polling booth level,” said a senior BJP functionary.  

    The BJP campaign is currently seen around Shah and Nadda, with major thrust on promises to implement Central schemes, including PM-Kisan Nidhi, Ayushman Bharat and others.