Terming the INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc a “deceitful gang”, Union Home Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Shah has said the Congress and the communist parties despite being partners in other States are fighting each other in Kerala.
Addressing a campaign rally of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate in the Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency Shobha Surendran at Punnapra in Alappuzha, Kerala, on April 24, Mr. Shah said the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [(CPI (M)]-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and were “cheating” the people of Kerala.
Mr. Shah said said communism was collapsing in the world and the country. “The Congress is also facing an existential crisis in the country. The coming time belongs to the BJP. This Lok Sabha election is the one to make India the world’s third-largest economy. Giving Narendra Modi and the BJP a third time will make India number one in the world in the fields of agriculture, manufacturing and technology. Voting for Modi means voting for development, voting for prosperity and voting for preserving culture and heritage in every nook and cranny of Kerala,” he said.
Mr. Shah said the Congress and communists were “giving shelter to terrorists” in Kerala. “Their selfish agenda of securing a minority vote bank has made them support the Popular Front of India (PFI). The Congress has the Social Democratic Party of India’s support. Those who want to make India an Islamic State are supporting the Congress. The BJP is committed to ensuring unity and development in the country,” he said, adding that Kerala was ready to move along with the BJP and Mr. Modi.
The BJP leader said the Union government banned the PFI to ensure national security. “The ban will remain in place until the Modi government remains in power at the Centre. Mr. Modi will not allow terrorism and naxalism to take root in the country. At the same time, the BJP government is also focussed on ending poverty and ensuring overall development in the country,” he said.
‘Will return Karuvannur money’
On the Karuvannur cooperative bank scam, Mr. Shah said the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) was investigating it and the money “looted by leaders of the CPI(M)“ would be returned to the investors.
“The Kerala Chief Minister’s family members and party leaders are involved in various scams. The Congress is maintaining silence. The BJP government will punish the wrongdoers,“ he added.
Citing the CPI(M)‘s call for complete elimination of nuclear weapons, Mr. Shah said India would remain a nuclear power. “On one side, the CPI(M) calls for abolishing nuclear weapons, while on the other the CPI(M)-led government in Kerala is engaged in mineral sand-mining on the Kerala coast and exporting it. The leaders of Left parties and the Congress have benefitted from it,” he alleged.
Terming the Congress and communist parties “anti-farmer”, Mr. Shah said the Modi government had increased the minimum support price of crops and was committed to the welfare of the fisher community. He said a special package would be announced for the coir sector “once the third Modi government assumed office.”
BJP leaders Alphons Kannanthanam, George Kurian, M.V. Gopakumar and others were among those who attended the rally.
