Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the BJP would bring in laws against ‘love jihad’ and ‘land jihad’.
Addressing party rallies at Kamalpur and Jagiroad, Mr. Shah said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) president Badruddin Ajmal were synonymous with ‘tourism’ and ‘infiltration’ respectively.
The AIUDF is a major ally of the Congress that leads the 10-party Mahajot or grand alliance.
“[Prime Minister Narendra] Modi ji is synonymous with development and public service while Rahul Gandhi visits Assam for two-three days and then is not seen for five years. Maulana Badruddin Ajmal is synonymous with infiltration. You have to decide if you will go with development or infiltration,” Mr. Shah said.
He wondered if Mr. Gandhi could protect the State while alluding to legendary Ahom general Lachit Borphukan, who thwarted attacks by the Mughals to conquer Assam more than 300 years ago.
“Rahul Gandhi, who comes as a tourist, says Badruddin Ajmal is Assam’s identity. We say [15th-16th century saint-reformer] Srimanta Sankaradeva, [his disciple] Madhabdeva and Lachit Borphukan are Assam’s identity,” Mr. Shah said.
“No matter how hard Congress works, we will not allow Ajmal to become Assam’s identity. If the Ajmal government is installed, can infiltration be thwarted?” the Union Home Minister asked the crowd.
He read out from the election manifesto to reaffirm the BJP’s decision to bring in laws against ‘love jihad’ and ‘land jihad’, which refers to the encroachment on land belonging to a network of satras (Vaishnavite monasteries) and wildlife preserves by alleged illegal immigrants
“Five years ago, we had promised to make Assam agitation-free. If we get the mandate of people for another five years, we will make Assam infiltrators-free,” Mr. Shah said in Jagiroad.
