Don’t see candidate; vote for Modi, Badals: Amit Shah

Says party’s mission to occupy offices from panchayat to Parliament begins from Punjab

JALANDHAR: Playing Sikh and Dalit cards to woo voters in Punjab, BJP national chief Amit Shah on Sunday exhorted the BJP workers to vote for the SAD-BJP keeping in mind the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Parkash Singh Badal’s performance and achievements.

JALANDHAR: Playing Sikh and Dalit cards to woo voters in Punjab, BJP national chief Amit Shah on Sunday exhorted the BJP workers to vote for the SAD-BJP keeping in mind the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s performance and achievements.

“The entire world has admitted that India is emerging as superpower and was set to become prosperous, secure and educated under Modi. Let me tell you, your one vote in Punjab to the SAD-BJP will not only ensure our alliance’s victory in the state but also strengthen Modi’s hands. Don’t see who is the candidate, see Modi and Parkash Singh Badal,” Shah told party workers at state convention of booth-level workers here.

He said it was time that BJP takes control of everything from panchayats to the Parliament and the this mission will start from Punjab.

Playing the Sikh card, Shah said there are reasons why the SAD-BJP needed to form the next government in Punjab. “The SAD and BJP have fought many elections together. However, this election is special for us because it’s 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh and we are celebrating golden jubilee of Punjabi Suba,” said Shah.

Keeping in mind the venue of the rally in Dalit-dominated Doaba region, Shah attacked the Congress, saying the party used Dalit icon BR Ambedkar’s name for votes and did nothing to spread his ideology.

“UPA did nothing in memory of BR Ambedkar whereas, in contrast, NDA has developed ‘Panj Tirath’ in his memory. Unlike the Congress, it was the BJP who gave the due respect to Baba Saheb. Atal ji honoured him with the Bharat Ratna and Modi ji called for a special session of the Parliament on his 125 birth anniversary and paid tributes to him,” said Shah.

Eyeing the Valmiki community, Shah congratulated Badal government for constructing Ram Tirath Temple in Amritsar. “I visited the temple recently and I could not believe it. This place is being developed as the highest temporal seat for the Valmiki community,” he said.

Shah also mentioned Golden Temple Plaza project as the achievement of the alliance. Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, state BJP chief Vijay Sampla and BJP’s national organisation secretary Ram Lal also spoke on the occasion.

‘RAHUL WEARING ITALIAN GLASSES, CAN’T SEE DEVELOPMENT’ CHANDIGARH: Speaking at Chandigarh, Shah launched a scathing attack on the Congress and its vice president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday saying he could not see the developments under the Modi government because “he is wearing Italian glasses.” He also ticked off Rahul for questioning the saffron party’s contribution in the past two and a half years.

“Rahul Baba is asking our contribution to the country. I want to tell him that we gave the country a prime minister who can speak,” Shah said while addressing the party’s booth level workers for Chandigarh’s municipal elections that are scheduled next month.

“Till November 7, they were asking what steps our government has taken to tackle black money. But after November 8, there is insecurity among the opposition parties, who stand exposed.”