Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday dismissed accusations made by the Opposition regarding EVM tampering and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) benefiting from such practices.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, Shah criticised the Opposition’s tendency to question the election process when the results are unfavourable to them.
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“…Rahul Gandhi ji does not think about what he says … If we won because of EVM, then why did we lose in Telangana, or in Tamil Nadu? Why have we been losing in Kerala for years? Why did we lose in Himachal and Bengal? Then Rahul Gandhi should say it clearly that even if we (Congress) win in the outcome shown by EVMs, we will not take oath,” he said.
The Election Commission has adjusted the procedure for handling and storing SLUs (symbol loading units) following the Supreme Court’s directive to seal and secure the machines in a container and store them in a strong room along with the EVMs for at least 45 days after the results are declared.
Regarding the concept of “One Nation, One Election,” Shah emphasised that the BJP has included it in its manifesto and is committed to its implementation.
Amit Shah on stock market surge
Shah said that over the past decade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has achieved a significant transformation in the Indian economy, with the stock market experiencing a remarkable surge.
“Even after selling by FIIs, Indian mutual funds have bolstered the market. Due to the PLI scheme and a strong ecosystem, India has become a favourite destination for manufacturing in the whole world. Our children are registering startups every day, our companies are registering patents daily, a lot of self-employment opportunities have been created. The balance sheets of all the banks have become very healthy. All the industrial growth parameters are at the topmost markings of 25 years,” he said.
Shah said that India has emerged as a frontrunner in sectors poised to drive the global economy for the next quarter-century, including green hydrogen manufacturing and semiconductors.
He also noted record-breaking collections in both GST and direct taxes, attributing these achievements to PM Modi’s effective governance. Additionally, Shah praised Modi’s efforts in bolstering the country’s border security.
What Amit Shah said on the Congress manifesto
Amit Shah reiterated PM Modi’s assertion that the Congress manifesto was heavily influenced by the Muslim League. Shah further accused the Congress of endorsing personal laws and engaging in appeasement politics.
“They are saying that for the contracts of the country, they will give priority to minorities. Who is the first lowest, what is the past performance, whether they have the capability to do the work or not, will contracts be decided on the basis of this or on the basis of religion? How do they want to run the country? The people of the country will have to decide…” Shah said.
‘Will win 80/80 seats in UP if all goes well’: Shah
The Home Minister expressed confidence that if everything goes as planned in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP could win all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
Shah reaffirmed that the BJP’s ‘Mission 400’ is progressing smoothly, and the outcome on June 4 will serve as evidence of this objective.
“The NDA will surpass the 400-seat mark by 12:30 pm on June 4,” Shah declared. He emphasised that in Uttar Pradesh, the party anticipates a significant increase in its seat count.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP and its ally Apna Dal(S) clinched 64 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats, overpowering the opposition alliance partners, who secured a total of 15 seats.
Shah further stated that the BJP aims to significantly increase its seat tally in Assam and secure 12 seats in the crucial northeastern state. In the 2019 elections, the BJP secured nine out of 14 seats, while the Congress won three, one went to the All India United Democratic Front, and the remaining seat was won by an Independent candidate.
In the politically significant state of Maharashtra, Shah asserted that the party is on track to secure 40-42 seats. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP, then in alliance with Uddhav Thackeray’s undivided Shiv Sena, contested 25 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, winning 23 seats.
‘Infiltration continues only in West Bengal today’
In a fresh attack directed at West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee, Shah said that Banerjee’s administration perceives infiltration not as a national security concern but as a potential source of political support, labelling it a “vote bank” strategy.
Appealing to the people of the state, Shah urged support for the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, aiming to establish a BJP-led government in Bengal. He pledged to fortify the borders to such an extent that even the slightest intrusion would become impossible.
“We will build such a border that not even a bird will be able to sneak across,” said Shah.
