Narendra Modi's close aide Amit Shah today landed in a controversy by dubbing Azamgarh as the "base of terrorists", drawing sharp reaction from ruling SP, which demanded that Election Commission should take cognisance immediately and act against him.
Campaigning for BJP's Azamgarh candidate, Ramakant Yadav who is taking on SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, Shah said the number of terrorists from Azamgarh were more as the state government was advocating their release in many cases.
"Azamgarh is the base of terrorists as there is no fear of the government, which is advocating their release," the BJP in-charge for Uttar Pradesh said.
"The accused in Gujarat bomb blasts were from Azamgarh. Being the then Home minister there (Gujarat), I have got the accused arrested. Since then not a single terrorist act has taken place in Gujarat," he said.
Shah's remark evoked sharp response from ruling SP which demanded the EC to take immediate cognisance of it.
"Such a remark is an insult to Azamgarh. BJP wants to win the elections by communalising the atmosphere. The EC should immediately take cognisance of Shah's remark and take action against him. Though EC had once taken action against him, he has not mended his ways," senior SP leader C P Rai alleged.
Attacking Mulayam, Shah said the SP leader's concept of socialism was limited to "promoting nepotism" and added that he was preparing political ground for his second son Prateek Yadav in Azamgarh.
Dubbing Congress the "most corrupt" government, Shah alleged that it usurped Rs 12 lakh crore through scams during its 10-year-rule.
Attacking SP and BSP supremos, Shah said Mulayam and Mayawati were claiming that they would become the next prime minister, but they have no existence outside UP.
At a meeting in Ballia, while replying to criticism by Congress against the BJP prime ministerial candidate, he said Modi has not been accused of a single scam or corruption during his 14-year-rule.
