Stop looking for faults with BJP, find your leader: Amit Shah to Congress

Bengaluru: Attacking the Congress-led opposition for “deliberately spreading misgivings” about land bill, BJP on Friday said the party should stop finding “non-existing” faults with the government and instead concentrate on finding its leader, a dig at Rahul Gandhi’s absence. [caption id=“attachment_2184721” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] BJP national president Amit Shah. Reuters[/caption] In his inaugural address at the two-day BJP National Executive meeting, party president Amit Shah sought to rally the rank and file around the controversial bill, saying it was pro-farmer and BJP was committed to the welfare of peasants. “Opposition has deliberately spread many misgivings about the bill which is in the interest of farmers. We will take the message to farmers. BJP is friend of farmers. It is farmers who have given us mandate. “Opposition is desperate, hopeless and directionless. They should stop finding those faults and shortcomings which do not exist. If they have to find something, then they should try to find their leader. “Instead of raising non-issues and fictional issues, they should find out where their leader is,” Shah said, taking a dig at the Congress over the absence of its Vice-President who is on a sabbatical for introspection. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, party patriarch LK Advani were on the dais as Shah addressed the delegates, which included 111 National Executive members besides a number of special invitees, including chief ministers of the BJP-ruled states and its state presidents. Union minister Prakash Javadekar told media persons that the BJP President attacked Congress for fuelling “confusion” over the bill and accused it of “looting” farmers for the last 60 years by using the antiquated British law before it was replaced with The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. “They looted the farmers for 60 years using a law brought by the British. With what face now do they talk about the interest of farmers,” Javadekar said, quoting Shah’s speech. Emphasising on the BJP government’s commitment to farmers, Shah said it fought for their interest in the WTO to ensure that they continue to enjoy Minimum Support Price fixed by the Centre and alleged that the previous UPA regime had agreed to stop giving MSP after 2016. “We fought against it and ensured that the WTO agreed to it,” he said. PTI