Cong stoking violence, says Shah

Giridih (Jharkhand), Dec 14

Union Home Minister Amit Shah today hit out at the Congress, accusing it of stoking violence over the amended Citizenship Act.

Shah, addressing election rallies at Giridih and Baghmara Assembly constituencies, said the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill has caused a “stomach ache” to the Opposition party.

“We have brought the amended Citizenship Act and the Congress got a stomach ache and is fanning violence against it,” he said.

The BJP president assured the people of the North-East that their culture, language, social identity and political rights would not be affected by the Act. “I assure the people of Assam and other northeastern states that your culture, social identity, language and political rights will not be touched and the Modi government will protect them,” he said.

Shah said Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and his cabinet ministers met him on Friday to discuss the issue. “They said there is a problem in Meghalaya. I tried to make them understand that there is no issue. Yet, they asked me to change something (of the Act).

“I asked Sangma ji to come to me when he is free after Christmas and we can think constructively for a solution for Meghalaya. Nobody has anything to fear,” he said.

Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi, Shah said the former Congress president was making “noises” and was ignorant of India’s history as he has “Italian sunglasses” in front of his eyes.

“Even a district youth president of our party can give an account of the developmental work done during five years of BJP-led rule in Jharkhand than what Rahul Gandhi’s Congress has done during 55 years of its rule,” he said.

Shah also accused the Congress of “encouraging” Naxalism, “handing over” Kashmir to terrorists and dragging Ayodhya issue for years. — PTI