In his first response to opposition’s criticism of the interim budget, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Saturday said the schemes rolled out “for the benefit of the farmers, workers and middle class” have left the rivals “nervous”.
“When Piyush Goyal presented the budget yesterday, those who had been speaking in josh were nervous listening to the announcements. I could not understand why their faces were dull. Why could not they smile,” said Amit Shah at a rally of party workers in Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand.
He said the Modi government’s budget will benefit 12 crore farmers in the country. “This was an occasion to praise the budget but they (opposition parties) could not do this,” Shah said.
The opposition parties have criticised the interim budget with Congress president Rahul Gandhi dismissing the PM Kisan scheme for farmers as “insult” to them. The scheme provides for annual cash support of Rs 6,000 to farmers.
Speaking at the Trishakti Sammelan of the BJP booth-level workers at Parade Ground here, Shah also targeted Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati and Samajawadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav over their alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha elections.
Shah said, “Those who never made eye-to-eye contact, never greeted one another, such Bua-Bhateeja (aunt-nephew) have come on the same forum. This tells how powerful we are. They united because of us.”
{{/usCountry}}Shah said, “Those who never made eye-to-eye contact, never greeted one another, such Bua-Bhateeja (aunt-nephew) have come on the same forum. This tells how powerful we are. They united because of us.”
{{/usCountry}}The BJP president raised the issue of Ram temple in Ayodhya with a challenge to Rahul Gandhi asking him to “clear his stand” on the matter. The Congress has accused the BJP of using the Ayodhya issue, which is pending before the Supreme Court, for political gains.
“Rahul Gandhi should clear his stand on Ayodhya. I can say without doubt that Ram Mandir will be built there,” said Shah.
Shah was on a short visit of the hill state that has five Lok Sabha seats. The BJP has a government in Uttarakhand and hopes to do well in the upcoming parliamentary polls.