BJP president Amit Shah Monday accused Congress chief Rahul Gandhi of raising a "hue and cry" over the arrest of "urban naxals", who allegedly plotted to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said the government would not tolerate those who speak about dividing the country.
He alleged that the Congress, when in power, undermined the country's security.
"The Maharashtra government arrested urban naxals and found through their email exchange that they wanted mortar guns and machine guns. They were plotting to kill Modi," Shah said, speaking at a BJP workers' gathering at Rewa in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.
"But when they ('urban naxals') were arrested, Rahul baba (Rahul Gandhi) and company raised hue and cry," he said.
"The slogan 'Bharat tere tukde honge, Inshallah ek hazar, ek hazar' was raised at JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University) but Rahul baba says there is freedom of speech. Naxals were arrested, but he saw (it as an issue of) freedom of speech," he added.
Also Read
Asserting that nobody would be allowed to harm the country's security, Shah said, "Rahul Baba, you can see whatever you want to, but there is a rule of Narendra Modi government....The voices which talk of dividing the country would be sent behind the bars."
The Maharashtra police had arrested five rights activists on August 28 in connection with an FIR lodged following a conclave -- 'Elgaar Parishad' -- held on December 31 last year that had later triggered violence at Koregaon-Bhima village.
The BJP president alleged that opposition parties such as the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Trinamool Congress sympathised with the infiltrators.
"The BJP government identified 40 lakh infiltrators by creating NRC (National Register of Citizens) in Assam. But opposition raised a hue and cry," Shah said, adding that the Congress, whenever in power, "weakened the country's security".
"Nobody remembers human rights when infiltrators plant bombs to kill country's mothers and sisters. The country's youth remain unemployed as these infiltrators snatch away jobs. They are a vote bank for the Congress, but for us, they are a national security issue. They (infiltrators) are eating up the country like termites," he said.
The BJP government would drive "each and every infiltrator" out of the coun
try after winning elections in 2018 and 2019, Shah said.
India's economy rose to sixth place globally from the ninth spot in the last four years, he claimed.
Later, Shah spoke at a tribal convention at Dindori.
The Modi government increased the budget for the welfare schemes for the scheduled tribes by 30 per cent, while the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in the state increased the funds for tribal areas by over Rs 25,000 crore, he said.
The Modi government also set up 'mineral funds' (district mineral funds to which local miners contribute) for the development of tribal areas, he noted.
The Congress ruled the country with the support of the tribal communities, but now they are with the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shah claimed.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
