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Amit Shah calls Rahul Gandhi 'tourist leader' at Bengal poll rally; explains BJP's DNA
Talking about infiltration in Bengal, Shah alleged that infiltrators take away employment and snatch foodgrains from the poor.
Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday mocked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by calling him a 'tourist leader'. At the same time, he said the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) DNA stands for "development, nationalism and Aatmanirbhar Bharat''.
"There's a tourist politician in our country who arrived in Bengal after several phases of elections have been conducted. He was nowhere to be seen then. Now he attended one rally and questioned our DNA. BJP’s DNA stands for development, nationalism and Aatmanirbhar Bharat," Shah said at a rally in West Bengal's Tehatta.
During this first poll campaign in Bengal on Wednesday, Gandhi said, “We should not allow the BJP to come to power in this state. Wherever the BJP and the RSS go, they indulge in divisive politics. They spread hatred and create rifts among people… it is in their DNA."
Talking about infiltration in Bengal, Shah alleged that infiltrators take away employment and snatch foodgrains from the poor. "Shouldn't we stop infiltration in Bengal? Infiltrators take away the jobs of our youth and snatch foodgrains from the poor. If infiltration is allowed to continue in Bengal, not only will it pose a threat to the people of Bengal but also to the entire country," he added.
Continuing his poll pitch, Shah said the BJP will allocate ₹100 crore to a fund under the chief minister for refugees if voted to power in the state. "We will allocate ₹100 crore to a fund under the CM for (the development of) refugees including the Matuas and the Namsudras," he said.
Matuas, originally from erstwhile East Pakistan, are a section of Hindus who migrated to India due to religious persecution during the Partition and after the creation of Bangladesh.
West Bengal will go to the fifth phase of polls on April 17. Voting will be held at 15,789 polling stations across 45 constituencies for 16 seats in North 24 Parganas, eight each in Purba Bardhaman and Nadia, seven in Jalpaiguri, five in Darjeeling and one in Kalimpong district. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.
