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Journalism of Courage
Union Home Minister Amit Shah Tuesday said “fake mazars” were removed from Bet Dwarka — an island near Gujarat’s Okha which is believed to be the residence of Lord Krishna. He added that the BJP government will continue the “clean-up” despite opposition from the Congress party.
“Our Bhupendrabhai (Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel) and Harshbhai (Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi) demolished the fake mazars in Bet Dwarka. They were all encroachments in the name of mazars and they were cleared but Congress said we were polarising,” said Shah while addressing an election gathering in the Khambhat assembly constituency in Gujarat.
“Be it mazar or graves, shouldn’t encroachments be removed?” Shah asked the audience which replied affirmatively. “The Congress does not like this. But don’t worry, even if they don’t like it, BJP will continue the clean-up. There is no need to be afraid of anyone,” he said in an Assembly constituency where Muslims form a sizeable part of the population. Shah’s comments came ahead of the scheduled Gujarat polls which will be held in two phases on December 1 and December 5. The counting of votes will be held on December 8.
Shah also pointed out developments done at a pilgrimage spot in Pavagadh and said, “For years, there was a mazar in Pavagadh. It is the BJP government which built a Kali temple atop the hill. The Congress will never do such a thing. But we are not afraid of any vote bank. For the BJP government, the security of the country is more important than being in power.”
He added, “Don’t let Congress come to power or else communal riots will begin in the state again and once again you will face difficulties.”
Criticising Congress leaders, Shah said none of the leaders visited the Statue of Unity which was built to honour Vallabhbhai Patel. “Congress never lost a chance to humiliate Sardar Patel. From his last rites, which was not accorded the necessary honour, to ensuring that no memorial is made for him, since my birth I have always seen Congressmen afraid to take Sardar Patel’s name. From Jawaharlal Nehru to Sonia Gandhi, the entire Nehru-Gandhi family ensured that there are no references to Sardar Patel in the country,” Shah said.
He added, “They (Congress leaders) are afraid that if they visit the Statue of Unity, they will lose the election. But still, they will seek votes in his name. Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only made a memorial for Sardar Patel but also walks on his path to ensure the country’s security.”
Referring to the removal of Article 370 in Kashmir, Shah said, “After so many years, Narendrabhai completed Sardar Patel’s dream of ‘akhand Bharat’ and our Kashmir adorns the crown of Bharat Mata.”
