Get rid of ‘Italian chashma’, focus on poor: Amit Shah to Rahul Gandhi

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“Rahul baba is undertaking padyatras daily. It will be better if he takes out yatras against unemployment, poverty and starvation… He is wearing Italian chashma and thus, keeps on asking what has changed after the Modi government came to power… Pakistan still attacks India. Rahulji should wear Indian specs. He should know that earlier Pakistan Army used to threaten Indian Army. Now, Indian Army replies to Pakistan in the very same manner,” Shah said, in an apparent reference to Italian roots of Rahul’s mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

He added: “November 8 ke pehle Rahulji poochhte they Modi ji kaale dhan ka kya hua. Ab Rahulji poochhte hain Modiji aapne aisa kyun kiya. Is kya or kyun ka arth janata acche se samajhti hai (Before November 8, Rahulji used to ask Modiji what have you done to check black money. Now, he asks why have you done this… People know the meaning of this what and why very well).”

Shah said every single paisa that is recovered as penalty from black money holders will be used on the development and welfare of the poor. “Kale dhan ki penalty ka paisa gareebo par kharch hoga,” he claimed.

He likened the unity among Opposition parties on the issue of demonetisation to all animals in a jungle climbing the same tree to save their lives from raging floods. “BSP chief Mayawati and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee are chanting ‘demonetisation’ the way people chant the name of lord Ram… Notebandi se jahan Mamata Banerjee tilmilai hui hain wahin Mayawati ke to hosh hi ud gaye hain (While note ban has made Mamata Banerjee livid, it has taken the wind out of Mayawati’s sails),” Shah said.

The tough step has caused discomfort to those having lakhs of crores of rupees ill-gotten money, he added.

He went on to liken SP, BSP and Congress to “naagnath and saanpnath” (snakes) sitting over schemes for development of Uttar Pradesh, forcing youths to migrate to other states for menial jobs. “SP, BSP and Congress and at some places Ajit Singh (RLD) are together stalling development as saapnath and naagnath,” Shah said.

Targeting the Akhilesh government, he added: “Uttar Pradesh wants Akhilesh Yadav to share what his government has done for the state in the last five years… Kendra sarkar ne jo bhi paisa UP ke liye bheja… woh netaon ki zeb me gaya. Chacha-bhatija ne to commission tak nahi bhara (Central assistance to UP went in vain as the benefits did not reach the targeted people and instead swelled the coffers of SP leaders… Chacha-bhatija did not even pay commission),” Shah said, referring to Akhilesh and state SP chief Shivpal Yadav.

Shah said while the Modi government had done away with interview of youths for Class III and IV jobs, the SP government was so deep into corruption that it did not comply with the order.

“The youths of UP are forced to migrate to other states due to unemployment… I feel bad to see youths from UP drive taxis and work as labourers in other states, as there is no opportunity in their home state… but just corruption. Both SP and BSP have done nothing for the state in the last 15 years,” he added.

On the “poor” law and order situation in UP, Shah said: “Akhilesh will first have to answer for Mathura where government land was encroached for years, Bulandshahr where gangrape was committed and his minister Azam Khan made a mockery of it and here in Etah, 100 people lost their lives in hooch tragedy.” He claimed that incidents of rape increased by a 161 per cent during the Akhilesh regime.

Referring to the CM’s claims of getting more that 300 seats in case of an alliance with Congress, Shah said he should not leave his ‘buaji’ (Mayawati).

“But it will be BJP which will come to power in UP,” he asserted.

WITH PTI inputs