Amit Shah also took a dig at efforts by opposition parties to stitch together a grand alliance ahead of the 2019 general elections, saying that the "Mahagathbandhan" is nothing but an eyewash.
"Mahagathbandhan is an eyewash. It is a bhranti (illusion) and a jhuth (lie). Parties which are in 'Mahagatbandhan' have been defeated by the BJP even after 2014. Mahagathbandhan will not make any difference," said Shah.
Hitting out at the opposition-sponsered no-confidence motion against the Modi government, Shah said that the opposition has been indulging in "disruptive politics".
"When we won the no-confidence motion, the opposition told us 'when did we say that you (NDA) don't have the number?' This shows opposition's disruptive politics," said the BJP chief.
Expressing confidence in his party's following, Shah said the BJP would win in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with a mandate bigger than 2014. The BJP had won 282 seats out of 543 in the 2014 parliamentary election.
Shah said that the Modi government has done a lot for the development of the country. "Today, India has surpassed France in terms of economy. The BJP has government in 19 states and ruling 75 per cent of the country. We should not be complacent and should work to ensure a bigger victory in 2019," he said.
Referring to the on-going updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, the BJP chief said that refugees from different religious backgrounds and countries are welcomed.
"If Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christain or Jain refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan or Bangladesh approach India seeking refuge, without hesitation we should give them refuge," said Shah.
On triple talaq, Shah criticised Congress for causing delay in the passage of the bill and said, "Many Islamic countries have cleared it and it is not an issue in those countries. But here, in Rajya Sabha, the bill is stuck due to the Congress' hypocritical behaviour ..."
Meanwhile, the BJP today decided to extend Shah's tenure as the party chief until next year's Lok Sabha elections. BJP's organisational polls are likely to be suspended till then as it focuses on the electoral challenge ahead, party sources said.
A party leader said organisational polls in an election year have often been deferred in the past as well to allow the incumbent president, his team of office-bearers and workers to focus fully on polls.
(With inputs from agencies)
from Times of India https://ift.tt/2wQqF8W
