Congress won't return to power for next 30 years: Amit Shah to Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, taking a jibe at his "foreign visits" and saying that Congress "won't get a chance to return to power for the next 30 years".

HM Shah made the remarks at the inauguration and foundation laying of the Yamuna revival projects in New Delhi.

Addressing a gathering, he said: "The country has realised Rahul ji that you and your associates want to protect the votes of the illegal infiltrators under the garb of 'vote chori' allegations."

Reiterating his previous remark, HM Shah told the Congress party that even before the BJP-led NDA came to power at the Centre, the grand old party was already out of power in many states.

Referring to Rahul Gandhi previously questioning HM Shah's confidence in the BJP's victory in polls, he said: "When I say that the BJP will remain in power for the next 30 years... They tell the public, ‘Look, this is vote theft; otherwise, how would Amit Shah know?"

Taking a dig at the LoP's purported foreign visit, the Home Minister said, "Amit Shah was born here, lives here, and will die here. I do not have to travel abroad every six months; I remain among the people of this country. Given the kind of negative politics you are pursuing, your government will never be formed. Remember my words for the next 30 years."

Further, he underlined that elections were held in Kerala with the same voter lists, Election Commissioner and EVMs.

"You (Congress-led alliance) took the oath. Since you won the election, the ECI was good. You won in Telangana, so the ECI and voter list were good. You won in Himachal Pradesh, so the ECI and voter list were good there, too. In Tamil Nadu, the people you supported won, so the ECI and voter list were good. But wherever you lose, the ECI is not acceptable," HM Shah said.

Adding to the criticism, he said, "If courts deliver verdicts in your favour, they are good. If they rule against you, they are not acceptable. These double standards will not work, Rahul ji. The public has understood you. You cannot gather party cadres from neighbouring states, stage protests in Delhi, and reject the people’s mandate. People of this country are watching you and know what you are doing."

The Home Minister was referring to the INDIA bloc's protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

"I know you cannot hear my voice because you are sitting somewhere abroad. You do not even explain why you are there. But that is fine; it is your personal life. However, once you land in Delhi, remember my words: you will not get another chance to come to power for the next 30 years. You will not," HM Shah remarked.

Amit Shah also lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) while referring to the Yamuna River pollution.

"The Congress and AAP, despite remaining in power for 30 years, didn't do anything for the Yamuna River. The BJP, under the leadership of PM Modi, will get the opportunity to clean the Yamuna River right up to the Sangam," he said.

Addressing Rahul Gandhi, HM Shah said people's mandate cannot be rejected with "political gimmicks".

"If you want to win elections, then come amidst the people and understand their plight. Nothing will come out of staging protests," he stressed.

Moreover, HM Shah urged the Congress party to work for the benefit of the people wherever the party has won elections, saying: "Otherwise you will lose whatever is still left, and nobody will be able to stop that."

Referring to his Punjab visit, Amit Shah attacked AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, saying, "Politics of excuse doesn't work for long; results need to reflect. After losing polls in Delhi, you went to Punjab, but you have not allowed the Chief Minister (Bhagwant Mann) to work there."

"Listen carefully, the AAP will be completely wiped out from the state, and we (NDA) will eradicate the drug menace from Punjab by 2029," he stated.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

IANS

[email protected]