New Delhi, April 27, 2023 (PPI-OT): Indian Home Minister Amit Shah has come in for severe criticism over his remarks that the southern state of Karnataka would witness communal riots if Congress wins the upcoming assembly elections. Shah’s statement is being termed as intimidatory and a threat to the voters. Addressing a public meeting at Terdal in Belagavi district earlier this week, Shah, who is also a former BJP chief said: “If Congress comes to power, dynastic politics will be at an all-time high and Karnataka will be afflicted with riots”. Social media users and political leaders sharply reacted to Shah’s statement and berated the Indian home minister for his polarization approach.

Congress general secretary and former Union minister Jairam Ramesh termed Shah’s remark as “intimidatory.” Ramesh said the home minister was issuing threats as he was staring at defeat. “This is a brazenly intimidatory statement. The Indian Home Minister having allegiance to an organization banned by India’s very first Home Minister is now issuing threats during an election campaign when staring at certain defeat,” he tweeted. In another tweet, Ramesh shamed Shah and said his party will raise his statement with the Election Commission. He said: “It is now clear that BJP is losing Karnataka decisively. The response of the people to the campaigns of the Congress leadership has been overwhelming. This explains Amit Shah’s 4-I strategy: Insult, Inflame, Incite and Intimidate. Shame on Shah! We are raising it with the ECI”.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also expressed concern over Shah’s statement. “We will complain to the ECI and also go to court,” Kharge said at a campaign rally in Chikkodi in Belagavi district. “In a public rally in Terdal on April 25, Amit Shah warned the people that there would be riots if the Congress came to power. First of all, it is an absurd statement, coming from the Home Minister who is in charge of internal security. Secondly, what was he trying to imply? Did he imply that BJP would orchestrate riots if the Congress replaced them?”” It is an insult to the people of Karnataka. It means that the people of this state are quarrelsome, and are planning to fight and engage in riots. That is not acceptable,” he added.

Kharge said that the Congress had ruled several states for several decades after independence, and there were no riots anywhere just because the Congress came to power. “BJP has been in power at the Centre for only nine years. Have any of you seen such a phenomenon occurring in any state that has elected the Congress? Why should senior leaders in responsible party positions make such statements? Reacting to the statement, TMC MP Jawahar Sircar said that Shah should be booked for threatening a state.

Congress spokesperson Dr. Shama Mohamed said that the Bharatiya Janata Party always comes to power on the back of communal riots. “Everyone knows that if there is anyone who has come to power on the back of communal riots, it is the duo of @narendramodi and @AmitShah. Also, the Delhi riots happened on Shah’s watch as Home Minister!” she said. John Samuel, an active social media user, said: “BJP is a power-hungry party, not the public serving party. People’s welfare doesn’t matter for BJP.” The real face of the BJP is exposed by Amit Shah, he added. If BJP can’t win, then they will start riots. That means BJP believes in violence, not in peace, he tweeted.

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