“Modi ji will get even bigger mandate this time,” is what Home Minister Amit Shah told India Today’s News Director Rahul Kanwal in an exclusive interview even as Indians voted in 102 constituencies across the nation.
Conducted at Gandhinagar as the Lok Sabha elections got underway on Friday, the hard-hitting interview took up several pressing issues, including the “washing machine” allegations levelled by the Opposition, Uniform Civil Code, electoral bonds, and Naxalism. The home minister had just filed his nomination from Gandhinagar constituency.
Reflecting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decade-long tenure, Shah said, “Narendra Modi has spent a decade fighting corruption, boosting confidence, and providing for the poor. India is ready to elect Modi ji again in this election. His popularity and the trust of his supporters speak volumes.”
Asked about the anti-incumbency factor which could play a role given the government is seeking a third term, Shah said, “There is solid faith in Modi’s guarantee. There is no anti-incumbency anywhere.”
Speaking on the BJP’s manifesto and its promise to deliver, Shah emphasised the significance of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in social reform. Shah said all democratic countries in the world have a Uniform Civil Code and the time has come for India to do the same.
Shah reiterated the BJP’s promise to implement a UCC across the country if it wins a third straight term at the Centre, arguing that no democratic country has personal laws. “Should the country be run on the basis of Sharia? On the basis of personal law? No country has ever run like that. There are no personal laws in any democratic country in the world. Why is it there in India?”
The home minister argued that several Muslim countries do not follow Sharia either. “The times have gone ahead. Now India also needs to move forward,” he said. Shah rejected the Opposition’s claim that the BJP wants to remove the word ‘secular’ from the Constitution. “There is no need to remove ‘secular’ from the Constitution. It’s the BJP’s plea to make the country secular. That’s why we are bringing UCC. They want to run the country based on Sharia. They need to become secular,” he said.
Opposition leaders have alleged misuse of probe agencies by the BJP and that cases against political leaders are dropped when they join NDA. On the “washing machine” allegations levelled by the Opposition against the BJP, Shah said, “The government has not closed a single case against anyone. The chargesheet is in front of the court and the court will take further action. Court doesn’t run on our direction.”
He dismissed allegations of agencies pursuing cases against Opposition leaders more diligently. “There are cases against Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, against Chidambaram ji, but they haven’t moved forward. Have they also joined hands with us? It has been nine years since the case was filed against Rahul and Sonia Gandhi in the National Herald case. The cases are pending in the court,” Amit Shah said.
The Union minister spoke at length about the election process, the BJP’s situation and target in crucial states such as Maharashtra and West Bengal, and about why the BJP chose not to ally with Naveen Patnaik’s party in Odisha for the polls. “We will win 30-35 seats in West Bengal… (We have been) working on Bengal for the last eight years,” Shah declared.
Responding to Aam Aadmi Party and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s charges that the BJP wants to destroy them, Shah “Nobody can finish anybody in a democracy. Kejriwal has been exposed. We don’t wish to finish any party. AAP is trying to get gain sympathy.”
On the Opposition’s allegations of electoral bonds being the biggest scam, Shah said “Every party receives a fund, including TMC, BRS and Congress. There are cases against them as well. Cases are a separate process and electoral funds are separate. We should not mix up the two.”
Amit Shah said the BJP has mentioned in its manifesto that they will try to bring in ‘One Nation, One Election’ from 2029. “The idea of ‘One Nation, One Election’ is not something new. In this country, ‘One Nation, One Election’ was followed for two decades … The problem happened when Indira Gandhi called for mid-term polls in 1971. This led to a mismatch of poll schedules in the nation.” He said the public has to decide on whether the polls to the state assemblies and the Lok Sabha should be held simultaneously.
“The BJP government formed a committee and a report was submitted. The report, which was drafted after consulting political parties, judges and legal experts, suggested that ‘One Nation, One Election’ should be held. The report suggested that once the polling is over, the next five years should be dedicated to the nation’s development,” Shah said. He dismissed the claims that the BJP wanted to nationalise local elections.
He added, “The public knows who to vote for at the top and the state level. There will be two ballot boxes, there will be different candidates, and there will be different election manifestos. Why will there be confusion?” He said the move would save money that is spent on holding elections multiple times, as well as save the public’s time.
In response to queries about the Congress party’s manifesto, Shah stressed the BJP’s commitment to delivering on promises made to the people, asserting, “The BJP’s manifesto is important because it promises to deliver. Check if what is promised matches what is delivered after forming the government.”
The Union minister also touched upon the issues of Red terror in the country and on targeted killings in Pakistan. Shah affirmed that the scourge of Red terror will be completely eradicated from India within the next few years. Reflecting on the progress made in combating Naxalism, Shah highlighted significant achievements, noting the considerable reduction of Naxal influence in states like Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. The Union minister, when asked about the report in The Guardian which said India carried out targeted assassinations in Pakistan, replied, “Whoever did the killings, what is the problem?”
“The agency will do their jobs, why should we interfere?” asked Amit Shah. As the interview concluded, Shah reiterated the government’s dedication to ensuring accurate and complete elections, emphasising the collaborative efforts between the government and citizens.