BHOPAL: Those who raise slogans against India will be sent behind bars, BJP president and Union home minister Amit Shah said at a rally in Jabalpur on Sunday, his first since CAA came into force. A ‘sky-high’ Ram Mandir will be built in Ayodhya in just four months, he announced.

“Some students raised anti-India slogans, ‘Bharat tere tukde honge ek hazar, Inshallah Inshallah’ at JNU. Shouldn’t they be put in jail? Those who would raise anti-national slogans will be sent behind bars,” said Shah at the CAA outreach rally.

The BJP chief challenged Congress to stop construction of Ram temple. “Should Ram temple be constructed or not? Congress leader and advocate Kapil Sibal said it should not be built. Sibal bhai, stop it if you can. A sky-high Ram temple is going to come up within the next four months.”

Shah challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to point out a single provision in CAA that can take away any Indian’s citizenship.

“Congress and opposition parties are misleading the nation on CAA and instigating minorities,” he alleged, adding: “After Independence, Congress divided the country on the basis of religion. Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis and Jains, who lived in both East and West Pakistan wanted to return, but they stayed because of the bloodshed. The leaders of our country had assured them that they will be welcomed here and given the citizenship whenever they want.”

Justifying CAA, Shah said, “After Partition, there were 30% Hindus in both East and West Pakistan. Today, there are just 3% Hindus in Pakistan and 7% Hindus in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). I want to ask the blind and deaf Congress leaders, where have the Hindus, Sikh, Sindhi brothers gone? Where have Machhua (fishermen) of Bangladesh vanished?”

“Mahatma Gandhi had said, they were citizens of India and would be welcomed here when they want to return. The then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had also promised to give them Indian citizenship, but Congress is running away from the promise. We will do everything for them. Those who were being tormented will be rehabilitated here. Congress should open its ears and listen. Do whatever you can. We will give citizenship to all of them,” Shah emphasised.

The home minister also raised the issue of human rights violations in Pakistan and said, “Atrocities are being committed in Pakistan on minorities. Gurudwara Nanakana Sahib was attacked and the daughter of the Granthi kidnapped. What is happening there? Why is Congress not raising this matter?”

Shah also quoted the election manifesto of Rajasthan Congress, which promises to provide citizenship to Hindus and Sikhs from Pakistan. “Now, Congress is refusing. The party is misleading the public. I would like to assure that there is no provision of taking back citizenship of any Indian citizen,” he said.

Accusing Congress of propagating lies, Shah said: “We will tell the public how Mamata Banerjee, Kejriwal and Rahul Baba are spreading false information. We will contact more than 3 crore people under the awareness drive. BJP has committed to finish some tasks since 1950. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has completed those tasks.”

Congress opposes every move taken by the BJP-led NDA government, he said. “Congress is opposing every decision, from Article 370, 35A, to Ram temple, triple talaq, surgical strike, air strike, and now citizenship law. For vote bank politics, Congress is singing the tune of Pakistan and Imran on every issue. I urge Congress to return from the wrong path. It should understand the feelings of the public else, you (Congress) will be completely wiped out,” said Shah.

The BJP president also hit out at Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath for refusing to implement CAA. “Nath should not talk loud. Instead, he should focus on MP. The state has already been handed over to liquor and sand mafia. We are searching for gaushalas that Congress had promised in MP but couldn’t see a single one. Farmers who have been cheated in the name of loan waiver are demanding bonus on wheat. If you have the strength, then come on the (election) ground. Public makes mistake once, not every time. We will trounce you by two-thirds majority,” claimed Shah.

The BJP chief lauded former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and said people still remember the government he led in MP. MP BJP chief Rakesh Singh, leader of opposition Gopal Bhargava and Union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste were also at the rally.

