Time to make changes in 'land grabber' Waqf Board, says Amit Shah at Jharkhand rally

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday accused the Waqf Board of grabbing land of temples, villagers and others in Karnataka and asserted that it was time to make changes in the body and amend the related Act. He also claimed that no one can stop the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which is "needed to check infiltrators", and assured tribals that they would be kept out of its ambit.

"The Waqf Board is in the habit of grabbing land. In Karnataka, it has devoured the assets of villagers. It has grabbed land parcels of temples, farmers and villagers. Tell me whether changes are required in Waqf Board or not. Hemant Babu and Rahul Gandhi say no. I tell you let them oppose it, the BJP will pass the Bill to amend the Waqf Act. No one can stop us," Shah said while addressing a poll rally in Jharkhand's Baghmara.



He also accused the JMM-led coalition of making infiltrators its vote bank and claimed that "trainloads of illegal immigrants will be sent to Bangladesh if the BJP is voted to power in Jharkhand".

"No one can stop implementation of Uniform Civil Code aimed at preventing infiltration in Jharkhand, and tribals will be kept out of its ambit," he claimed.

Shah alleged that the Congress was opposed to OBC reservation.

"Rahul Gandhi's four generations can't touch your reservation," Shah alleged while addressing the rally.

Accusing the JMM and Rahul Gandhi of dividing the country on the basis of castes, the BJP leader claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made only four categories - poor, farmers, youths and women - for the welfare of people.

The union home minister promised that if the BJP is voted to power, it would make Jharkhand the most prosperous state in the country in the next five years and "each paisa looted by JMM-Congress leaders will be returned to its treasury."


"We will set up mineral-based industries in Jharkhand and create an environment in which no one will migrate to other states," he added.

Addressing another rally at Jharia, he slammed the JMM-led coalition for alleged corruption and coal smuggling and urged voters to strengthen BJP's hands so that corruption could be stopped.

"Coal smuggling will be stopped in Jharkhand if the BJP comes to power...traders need not fear now," Shah said at a BJP rally in the coal belt of Jharia.

He also alleged that Jharkhand leaders who "looted public money" will not be spared after the BJP forms the government in the state.

"We will hang the corrupt leader upside down to straighten them," he claimed.

Shah claimed, "Hemant babu welcomes infiltrators by rolling out the red carpets for them. We will identify and drive out them if the BJP is voted to power in Jharkhand."

Shah alleged that infiltrators were marrying tribal women and grabbing their land.

"Your one vote will decide Jharkhand's destiny. It will also decide whether women will become 'lakhpati' under PM Modi's leadership or Jharkhand corrupt leaders will fill their coffers," Shah said while addressing the rally.

He claimed, "Modi's guarantees are like 'patthar ki lakir' (strong as a rock inscription). Women's property registration will be made for Rupee 1 if the BJP comes to power in Jharkhand."

Alleging that the Congress was trying to "snatch reservation of OBCs, STs and SCs to handover quota to Muslims," he asserted that the BJP would not allow reservations to the minority community.

The BJP leader also took an apparent dig at Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and urged voters to press the button for lotus, the symbol of the BJP, so hard that "current is felt in Italy".