Oppn doubting airstrike for cheap politics: Shah

Umaria (MP), March 2

Hitting back at the Opposition, BJP chief Amit Shah said here today that those who did not have the courage to give a befitting response to terrorists and avenge the killing of soldiers when in power were raising doubts on the recent airstrike for “cheap politics” and their statements had made Pakistan happy.

“The armed forces are saying in a press conference that we have conducted an airstrike and eliminated scores of terrorists. Can anyone have doubts about it? You should desist from such cheap politics,” he said at the BJP’s “Vijay Sankalp” motorbike rally.

Elections should be about making India stronger in every sphere, uplift of the poor and giving Pakistan a strong response, and not about fulfilling the wish of a “family” to make its “prince” the PM, Shah said, targeting the Congress leadership.

Shah praised Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman of the Air Force, saying he came back to India after shooting down Pakistan’s F-16 fighter plane. “All Opposition leaders are raising questions over the recent airstrike. You were in power for a long time. The country is suffering due to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism for the past 30 years. Rahul baba and company is blaming us for politicisation of the airstrike.... The people of the country want to know if you have the courage to give a befitting reply to terrorism.

“Twenty-six bomb blasts took place in 10 years of UPA rule, 26/11 (Mumbai terror) attack took place. Did Sonia-Manmohan government ever show courage to respond to terrorists, to take revenge for the killing of our soldiers?” he asked.

“They didn’t have the courage to give a befitting response to Pakistan. It is Narendra Modi who has fulfilled this aspiration of the countrymen… And you are raising questions about the airstrike that was affirmed by Pakistan media, parliament and terrorist organisations whose members were killed. Mamata Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi did not accept that airstrike took place,” Shah alleged.

He also alleged that the language of the resolution passed by Opposition parties at their Delhi meet after the airstrike “made Pakistan happy”.

“We also spent most of our time in Opposition but we never talked like this. We supported the government,” he said. Taking potshots at Rahul, Shah said: “What should be the issues in elections? Should they be about someone growing up and wishing to become PM? Or some family wanting its prince to sit on the throne?”

Shah later led a motorbike rally through the town, riding pillion with Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha state unit president Abhilash Pandey. — PTI