Shah: Pick Modi-led Pandavas or I.N.D.I.A.-led Kauravas

New Delhi: Amid chants of "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and "Modi hai to mumkin hai" every now and then from the gathering of BJP leaders, Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday likened the coming Lok Sabha polls with the battle of Kurukshetra from the epic Mahabharat and asked the people to choose between the “Pandavs” (Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA) and the “Kauravs” (Congress-led INDI alliance). He said that in the Modi government's third term, India will become the third-largest economy in the world and terrorism and naxalism will be completely eradicated.

In his address at the BJP's national convention in New Delhi, Mr Shah dubbed the Opposition INDIA bloc as “nothing but an alliance of seven dynastic parties”. He slammed the Opposition alliance for having a "divisive mindset" and "promoting hate politics".

Proposing the resolution "BJP: Desh ki aasha, vipaksha ki hatasha" (BJP: Country's hope, opposition's despair)” on the concluding day of the BJP national council, Mr Shah slammed the Congress in particular for “soiling” even the Constitution for its vote-bank politics, apparently hinting at the insertion of the word “secular” in the Constitution during the Emergency by the then Indira Gandhi-led government.

In an apparent jibe at the Congress, the senior BJP leader claimed that a party that failed to establish democratic spirit within its organisation cannot protect the country’s democracy.

Slamming the Congress over its appeasement politics and boycott of the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, Mr Shah said, “You not only rejected to participate in such a historic event but also abstained from the process of making India great... People of this country are watching and they will remember it.”

Asserting that the BJP-led NDA’s motto is “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas” and not appeasement politics, Mr Shah said he had no qualms in saying that “never in any democratic country, the majority community had to fight a legal war for 75 years to follow its faith”.He added that Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir was constructed democratically, for which he thanked the Prime Minister.

Slamming the Opposition alliance for promoting casteism, dynastic politics, appeasement and corruption, Mr Shah said people will have to decide whether they want a Mr Modi-led development and democratic alliance or a Rahul Gandhi-led dynastic alliance.

Mr Shah said that the Prime Minister has worked for the development of all sections of society and enhanced the country's global standing, while asserting that there is no doubt in people's minds that Mr Modi will retain power for a third term.

The Union home minister described Mr Modi as a candle that removes darkness while burning itself, as he lauded his dedication, hardwork and commitment to the country's progress.

He said while Mr Modi thinks of the poor and the country's development, INDIA bloc leaders think of making their children Prime Minister and chief ministers, referring to former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, NCP founder Sharad Pawar, RJD’s Lalu Prasad Yadav and DMK’s M.K. Stalin, among others.

"The Congress is the mother of corruption and its nurturer in this country," he said as he listed the alleged scams during the Congress regime and those of its allies.

Alleging that all the family "princes" have come together against Mr Modi as they think only someone from a powerful family can occupy the top position, Mr Shah said: "On the one hand there are family-run parties and on the other is the son of a poor mother.”

He said the Opposition parties are in denial mode and oppose everything for the sake of it, be it the repeal of Article 370, the ban on triple talaq, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or the construction of the new Parliament building.

“If family-run politics existed in the BJP, then the son of a tea seller would not have become the country's Prime Minister,” asserted Mr Shah.

Noting that the Congress favoured the division of the country at the time of Independence, Mr Shah said the party and its leaders still follow the “divisive” mindset and called the Congress and the INDIA bloc “hinsa failane wala gathbandhan”.