Shah calls Rahul 'tourist politician'

Blames Mamata for denial of citizenship to Matuas in West Bengal

Tehatta: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of denying citizenship to Dalit Matua and Namsudra communities as her "vote bank would not like it". Reaching out to the two numerically strong communities which can infuence the outcome of Assembly elections in many seats, Shah said a Rs 100 crore fund will be created for their welfare if the BJP is voted to power in the State. He also mocked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling him a "tourist politician". "These Matua and Namsudra families are living here for 50-70 years, for three generations. But Didi says they will not get citizenship, why? Because her vote back would not like it," he told an election rally in Tehatta in Nadia district.

Taking a swipe at Rahul Gandhi who addressed his first two election rallies on Wednesday after keeping off the campaign in the State where his party is contesting in alliance with the Left while fighting against it in Kerala, Shah branded him a "tourist politician". "A tourist politician arrived in Bengal after almost the entire poll got over and questioned our DNA. BJP's DNA is development, nationalism and Atmanirbhar Bharat," he said. Flaying "dynasty politics" in the TMC, Shah said while the BJP wants to implement the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme for farmers in Bengal, "Didi only wants Bhaipo (nephew) Samman Nidhi". Top BJP leaders have been accusing Banerjee's nephew and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee of wielding unwarranted influence over the government machinery and running extortion syndicates.

"After people's mandate on May 2 (counting day), nobody will be left to take cut money, the government of syndicates will be no more there, the government that works for Bhaipo will be gone," he asserted. The home minister assailed the TMC government for "failing to check infiltrators who take away the jobs of our youths and food of our poor". "Let alone illegal immigrants, not even a bird from across the border will be allowed to enter Bengal. Not the TMC, neither the Left, nor the Congress....only BJP can stop infiltration," he asserted. He claimed the demography of Nadia district, which shares border with Bangladesh, had got altered because of infiltration.