"Praise Veer Savarkar, Balasaheb Thackeray": Amit Shah Challenges Rahul Gandhi Ahead of Maharashtra Elections

Union Home Minister Amit Shah sharply criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday, urging him to publicly acknowledge Veer Savarkar and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. Speaking at a rally in Hingoli, Shah said, “The Aghadi is a group of liars. Rahul Baba, take a moment to praise your friend Uddhav Thackeray’s father, the great Balasaheb Thackeray. Uddhav Ji, if you have the courage, get Rahul Baba to say something positive about Veer Savarkar and Balasaheb.”

Shah underscored that the upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra will determine whether the state honors the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or aligns with Aurangzeb. He stated, “The election will decide if Maharashtra follows the path of Shivaji Maharaj and Veer Savarkar or that of Aurangzeb. Our Mahayuti alliance has confidently chosen to uphold the legacy of Shivaji Maharaj and Veer Savarkar, while the Aghadi alliance appears to be an Aurangzeb fan club.” He contrasted Prime Minister Modi’s initiatives, like building the Ram temple and reconstructing the Kashi Vishwanath corridor, with Aurangzeb’s actions.

Shah mocked Rahul Gandhi, likening him to a repeatedly crashing airplane. “Sonia ji has tried to land the plane named Rahul Baba 20 times, and it has crashed every time. Now, there’s another attempt for the 21st landing in Maharashtra. Sonia ji, your Rahul aircraft will crash again in the Maharashtra assembly elections,” he joked. He criticized Congress for its overconfidence, referencing the Haryana elections where the BJP secured a third consecutive term despite Congress’s premature victory claims. “In Haryana, Rahul Gandhi claimed victory too soon. Such arrogance, especially in a democracy, is unacceptable. Congress was wiped out, and the BJP formed the government. In Maharashtra too, the Mahayuti will form the government,” Shah asserted.

On the Ram temple and the Waqf Board issues, Shah pointed out that Congress had obstructed the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya for 70 years, while Modi made it happen. He also addressed the Waqf Board controversy in Karnataka, where the Board had declared several properties as Waqf properties. "We have introduced a bill to amend the Waqf Act, but Sharad Pawar and his allies are opposing it. You can resist as much as you want, but the Modi government will amend the Waqf Act decisively," Shah stated. Shah dismissed Congress’s resolution to reinstate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, insisting it would never happen. “Rahul Baba’s Congress party has passed a resolution in Kashmir to bring back Article 370. Rahul Baba, listen carefully—neither you nor your future generations will be able to restore Article 370,” he declared.

Confident about the NDA's future, Shah concluded by asserting that the people of Maharashtra support the alliance. “I want to tell the people of Maharashtra that the entire country stands with Modi ji. Every sister in Maharashtra supports Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis, and every underprivileged citizen is with the NDA. Soon, a Mahayuti government will be formed in Maharashtra. This government, led by Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis, is committed to serving the poor,” Shah stated.