No more ‘chhota bhai’: Shah rules out pact with SAD, BJP to go solo
Vows end to drugs in 2 years, law against conversions
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday put to rest speculation about a possible alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal, saying the BJP was done playing the role of “chhota bhai” (younger brother) and would contest the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections on its own and form the government.
Sounding the poll bugle while addressing the BJP’s ‘Badlaav Rally’ at Killi Chahlan village in Moga, Shah said if voted to power, his party’s government would uproot the drug menace from Punjab within two years. “Punjab accounts for about 45 per cent of the country’s illicit drug trade. If anyone can free Punjab from the shackles of drugs, it’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. We fulfil our promises. We abrogated Article 370 in Kashmir and Naxalism terror is on its last legs,” he said.
Sporting a saffron turban on the stage, Shah said the BJP would, within a month of assuming power in the state, bring a Bill to ban religious conversions. He also said Punjab’s development and peace were possible only through Hindu-Sikh unity.
Invoking the sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur, he said the BJP would stop forced conversions. “However, the Congress and AAP treat those behind these conversions as their vote bank,” he said.
The minister urged people to bring the BJP “double-engine government” in the state and called for “parivartan” (change), saying the public had already seen the rule of the Congress, Akalis and the Aam Aadmi Party. He said he had visited the state on the occasion of Chet 1, marking the beginning of the Nanakshahi Calendar New Year.
Shah blamed the AAP and the Congress for the multiple problems facing Punjab, including debt, drugs, religious conversions, corruption and gangster terror. “AAP regime has become an ‘ATM for Delhi’ and is spending nearly Rs 800 crore on advertisements, while failing to fulfil poll promises such as 25 lakh jobs, 16,000 clinics and MSP on all crops. The Chief Minister (Bhagwant Mann) is merely working as a pilot. His only job is to fly (AAP chief) Arvind Kejriwal across the country on Punjab’s aircraft,” he said.
The BJP leader also slammed the Congress for the attack on Akal Takht and for “creating a divide between Hindus and Sikhs”. Highlighting the steps taken by the Modi government for the Sikhs, Shah cited the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor and the grant of citizenship to Sikhs from Pakistan and Afghanistan through the Citizenship Amendment Act. He also pointed to nationwide celebrations of “Veer Bal Diwas” and grand observance of Parkash Purbs as examples of the party’s respect for the Sikh heritage.
The BJP leader accused the Congress of agreeing at the World Trade Organisation in 2013 to end farm subsidies, claiming the Modi government protected farmers’ interests and ensured record procurement of crops at MSP.
Shah began his address with “Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal”, “Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” slogans, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
The BJP chose Killi Chahlan for the rally as it is centrally located and is the same place where the AAP held its state-level ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ event about a month ago. Moga falls in the politically crucial Malwa region, which comprises 69 of Punjab’s 117 Assembly seats. During the SAD-BJP alliance, the BJP was considered the junior partner in Punjab and used to contest 23 of the 117 seats. The SAD officially ended the 24-year-old alliance with the BJP in September 2020 over the now-repealed three farm laws.
