DNA Exclusive: 'Jai Sri Ram' is not a religious slogan, it's people's anger against Mamata Banerjee: Amit Shah

In an exclusive conversation with Zee New Editor-in-chief Sudhir Chaudhary, Home Minister Amit Shah spoke on a wide range of issues ranging from law and order situation in the state to Mamata Banerjee's appeasement of minorities, CAA and the Ram temple issue etc.

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday exuded confidence that his party BJP will win more than 200 seats in the upcoming Assembly election in Mamata Banerjee-ruled West Bengal.  

In an exclusive conversation with Zee New Editor-in-chief Sudhir Chaudhary, the Home Minister spoke on a wide range of issues ranging from law and order situation in the state to Mamata Banerjee's appeasement of minorities, especially Muslims, CAA, Ram temple issue etc.

#MamataBanerjee has failed to bring about change in Bengal,' says Home Minister @AmitShah in an #exclusive interview with Zee News Editor-in-Chief @sudhirchaudhary pic.twitter.com/3YhRt8lyef — Zee News English (@ZeeNewsEnglish) February 19, 2021

The Home Minister said that the people of this country have full faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, his policies and have supported the key decisions taken by his government. The Trinamool Congress government has utterly failed to bring about a positive change in West Bengal, the Home Minister said while replying to a question if Mamata Banerjee is ''overhyped and losing relevance in the national politics.''   

'Jai Sri Ram' not a religious slogan

Referring to Mamata Banerjee's strong opposition to those shouting the 'Jai Sri Ram' slogans, Union Home Minister said that it is not a religious slogan. It's actually people's outburst, anger, and dissatisfaction with the Trinamool Congress regime in Bengal. People of Bengal are angry with Mamata Banerjee's politics of appeasement. "The connotations of slogans change in different time periods. Today, in Mamata Didi's Bengal, you have to take permission from the court to organise a Durga Puja. The teacher who performs the 'Saraswati Puja' is brutally killed and not a single arrest is made. What kind of Bengal she has turned the state into? People of Bengal are angry with Mamata Ji's appeasement politics. If Mamata Ji thinks that the BJP is chanting the 'Jai Shri Ram' slogan, then she knows nothing. She should know that politicians never raise such slogans. The 'janta' chants these slogans. Wherever she goes, she will have to face the slogan of 'Jai Shri Ram.' In my view, this should not bother her much,'' Shah said.

Will improve law & order situation in Bengal

While expressing concerns over the extremely vicious political environment in the Trinamool Congress-ruled state, the Home Minister said that the voters of West Bengal now want a change. Claiming that no one is safe in West Bengal, Shah warned that if BJP comes to power in the state, anyone who indulges in political violence will not be spared.

BJP will fight to transform Bengal into 'Sonar Bangla'

The Home Minister assured that the “BJP will fight to transform Bengal into Sonar Bangla.’’  Spelling out his party's objectives, Shah said that BJP's first priority will be to improve the law and order situation in the state if it comes to power. Slamming the Mamata Banerjee government over its policy of minority appeasement, the Home Minister said that due to Communists, political violence has become an integral part of West Bengal's politics. "We are confident that the BJP will come to power and form the government this time and fulfill the dream of transforming the state into "Sonar Bengal'' - which means jobs for youths,'' Shah added.

Will implement CAA

Replying to a question on stiff political opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in West Bengal, the Home Minister said that it has been passed by the Parliament and will be implemented everywhere across the country. Shah quipped that it was his party that fulfilled ''70 years of the unfulfilled promise'' made by Congress of granting citizenship to the refugees.  

BJP will restore Bengal's cultural heritage

To a question on what will be the key issues in the upcoming assembly elections in Bengal, the Home Minister said that the TMC rule has done serious damage to the culture and ethos of Bengal. He said that nepotism and political violence never had a place in Bengal's politics. "Though Mamata is a tall leader with a huge mass appeal and maintains a solid grip over the electorate in her home state, she has completely failed to live up to the people's expectations. Winds of change have begun in Bengal and voters of the state now want to get rid of the corrupt TMC government,'' Shah said. 

BJP will win 200+ seats in Bengal

The Home Minister exuded confidence that his party will win 200 plus seats in the West Bengal assembly and the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government will be thrown out of power. Shah said that no one believed when he said that the BJP will win at least 20 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, but the results proved the critics wrong after the party won 18 seats. The Home Minister also credited the state BJP leaders and workers who have worked relentlessly in expanding the party's voter base across the state and appeared confident that their efforts will yield positive results in the upcoming assembly elections. 

You can watch the exclusive interview of Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Zee News Editor-in-chief Sudhir Chaudhary on Zee News.