Amit Shah slammed for Pakistan remarks on Bihar elections

Patna - The BJP chief said firecrackers would be burst in celebration in Pakistan if the grand alliance formed the next government.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Friday accused BJP president Amit Shah of insulting nearly 110 million Biharis by saying firecrackers would be burst in celebration in Pakistan if the BJP loses in the Bihar assembly polls. He said Shah has "gone mad".
"Amit Shah has insulted all Biharis, including Hindus, Muslims, Dalits, OBCS by terming us as Pakistani. It has again exposed his mindset for us," Lalu told the media minutes before leaving for his nine election meetings on Friday. It is the last day of campaigning for the fourth phase of the on-going state assembly polls.
"He has gone mad. He is insulting entire Bihar," said Lalu, a day after Amit Shah during his election rallies said firecrackers would be burst in celebration in Pakistan if the grand alliance formed the next government. Lalu said: "The BJP is not India and Bihar is not Pakistan."
"If the Bharatiya Janata Party is defeated in the Bihar assembly polls and does not form a government, firecrackers will be burst in Pakistan," Shah said at an election rally in Raxaul on Thursday.
The BJP president said jailed criminal-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin would benefit the most if a government led by Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad comes to power in Bihar.
Shahabuddin, a former parliamentarian, is currently lodged in Bhagalpur Central Jail. Lalu said: "It is a below-the-belt attack against all Biharis by Amit Shah. People will teach him and his party a hard lesson in the polls."
Our Hyderabad correspondent adds: Congress's Leader of the Opposition in the Telangana Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Friday condemned Shah's statement. "Amit Shah lives in India, but loves Pakistan. That's why he is relating Bihar elections to the neighboring country. Either he must apologise for his comments or explain the link between the results of Assembly elections in an Indian State and Pakistan," Shabbir Ali said.
"BJP leaders including Amit Shah cannot live without thinking about Pakistan. Senior BJP leader L K Advani had once praised Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the man responsible for India's partition. Atal Bihari Vajpayee is still considered the most favourite Indian Prime Minister in Pakistan. Prime Minister Narender Modi felt comfortable in the company of his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Shariff during his oath taking ceremony. The BJP leaders should weed out love for Pakistan from their hearts and minds," advised Shabbir Ali.
Shabbir Ali said that the BJP president must understand the difference between a political opponent and an enemy country. In a democratic set up, all parties contest elections and seek votes on the basis of their manifesto or performance. Since BJP lacks both agenda and achievements, its leaders are seeking votes by intimidating voters. "Amit Shah's statement is an advance confession that the BJP is losing elections in Bihar. By giving an irresponsible statement, Amit Shah tried to call everyone who votes in favour of the grand alliance of JD-U, RJD, Congress and other parties as Pakistanis," he alleged.
"Amit Shah must be ashamed of himself for calling Biharis as Pakistanis," he said. -news@khaleejtimes.com

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