Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a rally in Jharkhand’s Baghmara on Tuesday, making several political claims ahead of upcoming elections. Shah accused the Waqf Board of illegally occupying land belonging to temples, farmers, and villagers in Karnataka.
“The Waqf Board is in the habit of grabbing land. In Karnataka, it has devoured the assets of villagers and even grabbed land from temples and farmers. It’s time to make changes to the Waqf Board. Let them oppose it, but the BJP will pass the Bill to amend the Waqf Act. No one can stop us,” Shah said, responding to opposition leaders like Hemant Babu and Rahul Gandhi who have opposed the move.
Shah also reiterated his support for the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), stating that it is essential to curb the issue of “illegal infiltration”. “No one can stop the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code, which is needed to check infiltrators. We assure tribals that they will be kept out of its ambit,” he added.
In his speech, Shah accused the ruling JMM-led coalition in Jharkhand of fostering illegal immigration for vote-bank politics. He vowed that the BJP would send “trainloads of illegal immigrants” back to Bangladesh if the party came to power in Jharkhand.
Shah further targeted the Congress, accusing Rahul Gandhi’s party of opposing OBC reservations. “Rahul Gandhi’s four generations can’t touch your reservation,” he said. The Home Minister also criticized the JMM and Rahul Gandhi for allegedly dividing the country along caste lines, contrasting this with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus on the welfare of the poor, farmers, youth, and women.
Shah promised that under BJP governance, Jharkhand would become the most prosperous in the country within five years. He also promised to establish mineral-based industries to create job opportunities and prevent migration to other states. “We will ensure that each paisa looted by JMM-Congress leaders is returned to the state’s treasury,” he added.
