Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated on Sunday that the electorate in West Bengal, which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recently won, voted in favor of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and against infiltration. Speaking at an event at the Maa Umiyadham campus after inaugurating separate hostels for boys and girls, Shah emphasized that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government has established the principle that citizens of the country should decide its future, not infiltrators.
Shah on West Bengal's Electoral Roll Revision
Shah remarked, "When the West Bengal Chief Minister took the oath of office, between 5,000 and 10,000 infiltrators were entering the state daily. Today, the same number is going back." He highlighted that when the Election Commission of India (ECI) initiated the SIR process, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and allied parties launched a 'vote chori' (vote theft) campaign and filed multiple cases. However, the electorate in Bengal demonstrated their support for the SIR and their opposition to infiltration. The Supreme Court also validated the SIR, declaring it constitutionally sound.
Shah further asserted, "The Modi government has established the fact that citizens of the country should have the right to decide its future. Infiltrators cannot decide the country's future."
Praise for the Patidar Community
Commenting on the Patidar community's contributions, Shah noted that Gujarat's development and the community's progress have been intertwined. "The Patidar community has a huge contribution in Gujarat's development. It is a case for study. Very few communities have transformed themselves in the way that the Patidar community has," he said.
Shah highlighted that the Patidar community has assumed leadership in various sectors, including agriculture, education, textiles, ceramics, diamond, pharmaceuticals, and real estate. He described the community's transformation over the past 75 years as remarkable and worthy of academic study.
The event also saw Shah inaugurating separate hostels for boys and girls at the Maa Umiyadham campus, underscoring the government's commitment to educational infrastructure.
