New Delhi: BJP President Amit Shah on Saturday said that the Narendra Modi-led government has “zero tolerance” towards national security but “a war with Pakistan is the last option”.
“We have zero tolerance for national security. The maximum number of terrorists have been killed in the state in last four years of our government. War with Pakistan is the last option,” he said addressing a press conference on the completion of four years of the NDA government.
He was replying to a question over the repeated ceasefire violations by the Pakistan on the international border and the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and whether war with Pakistan was an option.
When asked about the Congress President Rahul Gandhi attacking the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in his report card, Shah said, “What do you expect from the opposition?”
“I have given the facts and figures of the works of the (Narendra) Modi government in last four years. And we are ready to debate on the basis of the these facts and figures with them on any platform,” he said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President also dubbed as “false” reports of Modi government spending over Rs 4,600 crore on advertisements to mark the completion of four years in office.
“These figures are not correct,” he said.
Shah also said that there is “no atmosphere of fear” in the country as alleged by the opposition.
“But there is fear among those who are holding benami properties, those who are holding black money as the government has brought bills against them,” he said.
Shah also described south as an important area for the saffron party’s expansion. “South is an important area for the BJP. The party winning 104 seats in Karnataka assembly polls, I think, is a good symbol for the party to flourish in the southern states.”
Shah also said that the BJP government brought political stability in the country.
“There was a time when the national dailies were filled with news of corruption. But after this government came to power, no such news of corruption came,” he said.
“Modi brought political stability. He took the country forward from the era of policy paralysis to policy driven development,” he said.
Describing Modi as the most popular Prime Minister, Shah said, “For the first time after 30 years, a government with full majority came to power in the Centre. And Modi is the most hard working and popular Prime Minister of the country. He is a visionary.”
“And it is his work that people have chosen the BJP government in 20 states of the country. The BJP is currently ruling over 65 per cent of the total population,” he added.
He said opposition parties coming together against the ruling combine would make no difference to it in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and expressed confidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be elected again.
He said virtually the choice for the voter would be between Modi and an unknown face on the other side.
He also made light of Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s remarks that he was ready to be Prime Minister if his party emerges as the biggest group.
Replying to a question about the coming together of opposition parties after the Karnataka Assembly elections against the the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shah said: “They fought against us in 2014. They were united. They are the leaders of their regions.
“If Mamata (Banerjee) and (Chandrababu) Naidu come together on one platform, what difference it makes in Bengal and Andhra Pradesh?
“If (Sitaram) Yechury and (HD) Kumaraswamy come together what difference will it make to Bengal and Karantaka politics? It doesn’t work like that. They are all regional leaders and contested against the BJP.
“Mamata, Akhilesh (Yadav), Mayawati, Sharad Pawar and Rahul (Gandhi)… they all fought against us. They are main opponents (of the BJP) in their state. Others don’t matter there.”
Asked about the series of reverses the BJP had suffered in Lok Sabha by-elections, he said voting in by-polls is different from general elections and still one year was left for the Lok Sabha polls.
“When a voter casts his vote to form government keeping in mind who will be the Prime Minister whether Narendra Modi or someone else, the parameters will be different from the by-elections.”
Replying to a question about Gandhi’s candidature as Prime Minister, he said: “It doesn’t matter as to what I think. His party has not supported him when he said he wants to be Prime Minister. Neither did Sharad Pawar support him nor did Mamata or Akhilesh Yadav.”
He said the NDA government, which replaced politics of appeasement with development for all, will provide houses to every citizens by 2022.
Counting the achievements of the Modi government, Shah said the BJP had replaced the politics of “appeasement, dynasty and caste” with the politics of “development and performance”.
Stressing that BJP is committed to work for the uplift of the Dalits, the poor and the farmers in the country, he said that the Opposition is spreading lies only to remove Modi.
Highlighting the Modi government’s work, Shah said: “We have benefitted 22 crore people with several schemes”, while the country’s self-pride has been restored and its status globally taken to the highest level.
He said when Modi government took office, people of the country had lost their faith in the multi-party democracy system, but this was also restored.