Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Thursday pulled up the Opposition blaming all ‘secular forces’ for not coming forward to enact a legislation against forceful conversions in the wake of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi’s recent remarks on ‘ghar wapsi.’ A tough law was required to check forceful conversions. They could not be stopped by the media. But not a single ‘so called’ secular party came forward to enact the law, Mr. Shah told a media conference, as part of his visit to the city to launch the membership drive of the BJP.
Admitting that such remarks from MPs or MLAs adversely affected the BJP, he asked people to observe restraint. Nevertheless, he said he did not have to respond to Mr. Owaisi’s call.
He denied there was any demand from People’s Democratic Party regarding Article 370 and repealing of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Jammu and Kashmir to pave way for a coalition government in the State.
‘Strange mandate’
The people had given a “strange” mandate in the elections to the State Assembly. “Of course, there were some issues between the BJP and PDP to be sorted out, but negotiations are going on for formation of a government,” he said.
Asked if the Central government could abolish Article 370 by an Act of Parliament, he said the BJP-led NDA government did not have two-thirds majority to do it.
Mr. Shah said the BJP was not supportive of its alliance partner Shiromani Akali Dal’s demand to grant pardon to 13 Khalistani terrorists, including the killers of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. The BJP also did not support its MP Sakshi Maharaj’s remarks that every Hindu woman must produce four children to protect the religion.
