BJP chief Amit Shah’s remark that there will be celebrations in Pakistan if his party loses the Bihar assembly polls has been severely criticised by political rivals as an attempt to communalise the ongoing elections.
“With these remarks Shah has accepted that BJP has lost the assembly polls in the state. They were bound to lose in Bihar, which has a strong socialist base. Sensing defeat, he is now trying to polarise Hindus in the name of Pakistan. It is a highly irresponsible remark,” JD (U) president Sharad Yadav said.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad called Shah’s remarks an insult to the people of the state. “Once again he has managed to insult the people of Bihar but this time it has gone below the belt,” he told reporters in Patna.
JD (U) general secretary KC Tyagi and AICC chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala are set to meet Chief Election Commissioner Naseem Zaidi over the issue.
On Thursday, Shah said at a rally in Raxaul, that if the BJP loses in Bihar, Diwali will be celebrated in Pakistan. “If BJP loses Bihar elections even by chance, though victory or defeat will happen in Patna, firecrackers would be burst in Pakistan,” he had said.
His remarks come against the backdrop of reports that it could be tough going for the BJP-led alliance in the state, contrary to earlier reports that it was comfortably placed.
{{/usCountry}}His remarks come against the backdrop of reports that it could be tough going for the BJP-led alliance in the state, contrary to earlier reports that it was comfortably placed.
{{/usCountry}}Leaders from the Congress and the Left took to Twitter to taunt the BJP saying it was already thinking of defeat with two more phases of polling still to go.
“@AmitShah when you lose Bihar crackers will burst all over India. Stop communalising your certain defeat. #ShahInsultsBihar,” CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat tweeted.
Former union minister P Chidambaram tweeted, “If BJP loses in Bihar, there will be celebrations and relief among many others - writers, scientists, historians and moderate citizens.”