Vote for BJP if you want revenge: Amit Shah at Muzaffarnagar

LUCKNOW: BJP's general secretary and prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's close aide Amit Shah triggered a fresh row when he reportedly delivered a speech calling for 'revenge' in a village near riot-hit Muzaffarnagar. Describing Amit Shah's statements and speeches as provocative, the Congress has threatened to lodge a complaint against Shah, accusing him of spreading communal hatred. The Samajwadi Party on the other hand has challenged Shah to topple the Akhilesh government in UP that he has threatened to do once Modi becomes the Prime Minister. Addressing a public meeting, Amit Shah had described the elections as an opportunity to avenge the insult meted out to the people by a handful of those who enjoy the support of the government in the state. "This not just another election. This is the time to avenge the insult meted out to our community. This election will be a reply to those who have been ill treating our mothers and sisters," Amit Shah is heard saying in his address. One of the video excerpts of the speech show Amit Shah telling the people that once the BJP government is formed, Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister. Once Modi becomes the Prime Minister, Mullah Mulayam will have to go the next day," Amit Shah is heard saying. On Friday, Amit Shah met leaders of three communities, gurjjars, rajputs and dalits, at a farmhouse in Muzaffarnagar's Gandhi Colony and apparently spoke of revenge. "A man can live without food or sleep. He can live when he's thirsty and hungry. But when he's insulted, he can't live. We must seek revenge for the insult heaped on us," he said. He did the same thing a day before on Thursday while he met leaders of the jat community at Raajhar village, 40km from Muzzaffarnagar and delivered a similar vengeful remark. "This election is about voting out the government that protects and gives compensation to those who killed jats. It is about revenge and protecting honour," Shah said. BJP on Saturday strongly defended Amit Shah's 'apmaan ka badla lenge' remark, saying that both the Uttar Pradesh government and those who had visited Muzaffarnagar for 'secular tourism' had insulted the riots victims, ANI reported. "The Uttar Pradesh government has insulted people. People who had gone for their 'secular tourism' have insulted people. It is not the question whether a person is Hindu or Muslim. It is about rubbing salt instead of medicine on the backs of those who suffered in those riots," said BJP spokesmen Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. "Then they said that the people living in camps are not the victims of the riots and that they are the supporters of political parties. This is nothing but an insult to the people. Therefore this insult has to be paid back," Naqvi added. Reacting sharply to Amit Shah's statement, senior SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav said: "Nobody in India can pull down a democratically elected majority government. The BJP leader seems to be ignorant about strong the Indian democracy is." (With inputs from ANI) and source : TOI