New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah slammed the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, saying protests would not achieve anything, and asserted that the BJP would remain in power for 30 years as the party existed among people and addressed their concerns.
Inaugurating projects worth Rs 8,941 crore for Yamuna rejuvenation, Shah accused the previous Congress and AAP governments in the city of doing nothing to check pollution in the river.
He also launched a scathing attack on AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and said the “politics of making excuses” would not last long and his party would be “routed” in the Punjab elections next year.
He warned that the parties risk losing their remaining political ground unless they focus on governance.
“You cannot use political jugglery and mobocracy to defy the mandate of the people. If you want to win elections, go among the people to understand their problems. These protests and demonstrations will not achieve anything. Implement schemes for people’s welfare wherever you have been elected, otherwise you will be wiped out from the remaining places,” Shah said.
Shah accused the opposition of repeatedly questioning electoral outcomes whenever the BJP wins, alleging that the “vote chori” narrative was an excuse to cover up electoral defeats.
“A new game has begun in Delhi. As BJP governments are being elected, they are making excuses of vote chori. They say the BJP is not coming to power by popular vote but by vote theft. In reality, you want to save the votes of infiltrators by making these allegations of Vote chori,” he said.
He cited the Congress electoral defeats across states over several decades, arguing that the party had been rejected by voters even before the BJP came to power nationally in 2014. He also pointed to the opposition’s victories in Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and Telangana, arguing that the same electronic voting machines (EVMs) and Election Commission were in place when those parties won.
“Whenever you lose, you criticise the Election Commission. When courts rule in your favour, they are good; otherwise, they are bad,” Shah said.
Shah repeats ‘30-year claim’
Predicting that the BJP would remain in power for 30 years, Shah said the opposition’s negative politics would prevent it from returning to government. He urged Congress and AAP to concentrate on improving governance in states where they still hold power.
“When I say BJP will be in power for 30 years, they again reiterate allegations of vote theft…I want to tell you that Amit Shah was born here, stays here, and will die here…I don’t need to visit foreign countries every six months. I am saying you won’t form government for 30 years, based on your negative politics,” he said.
Shah blames Congress, AAP for Delhi’s environmental challenges
Turning to Delhi’s environmental challenges, Shah blamed successive Congress and AAP governments for allowing sewage and industrial waste to enter the Yamuna. He said the Centre, Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh were now working together on a time-bound plan to clean the river.
“We will come before the people in May 2029 with a clean Yamuna,” he said, adding that a three-year action plan had been drawn up to provide sewer connections to every household and ensure clean water reaches every home. He said the newly launched projects would play a critical role in achieving the target.
Shah also targeted AAP over Delhi’s landfill sites, claiming that more than two crore tonnes of waste had been removed and 100 acres of land cleared. He said the sites would be transformed into gardens within two years.
Taking aim at AAP’s government in Punjab, Shah accused it of failing to curb drug abuse and asserted that the NDA would form the government in the state by 2029 and dismantle the drug trade.
