Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and accused him of playing the politics of appeasement. Speaking at a rally in Assam, Shah said that the promise made by Rahul of removing AFSPA from the northeast was an "agenda" of the Congress, while he believes that peace needs to prevail in Assam first in order to remove the act.
"Rahul Gandhi gave Congress an agenda to remove AFSPA from northeast if they came to power (in 2019), that was for appeasement.When it was asked from me, I said we'll first bring peace in northeast & will remove AFSPA but won't do it only for appeasement, said the Union Home Minister, as reported by ANI.
He launched a further attack on the Congress party, saying that the seventy years of the grand old party pushed North east to violence and anarchy.
"Seventy years of Congress pushed North East to violence and anarchy. BJP's eight years under PM Modi joined it with the mainstream," Shah was quoted as saying by PTI.
"North east has marched ahead in the path of peace and development during eight years of BJP rule. BJP has established peace in Assam with 9,000 people laying down arms," Shah added.
The home minister is scheduled to chair a high-level official meeting on the annual floods in Assam, and also hold discussions with the BJP's Assam core committee at the state guest house later today.
Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda are in Assam on three-day visit to Assam that will conclude on Sunday.