Highlighting the reasoning behind creating an “anti-radicalisation cell” in Gujarat, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that it is a proactive step which will control terrorism and riots.
Notably, the BJP in its manifesto has promised to create an Anti-Radicalisation Cell to identify and eliminate potential threats and sleeper cells of terrorist organisations and anti-India forces if voted to power again in the State. While holding a roadshow in Sanand in Ahmedabad, the Home Minister told ANI, “Anti-radicalisation Cell is a proactive step, it is one thing to monitor an incident after it has happened, and it is another thing not to allow it to happen. If we control radicalisation, then terrorism and riots will be controlled.”
The Home Minister’s roadshow is being held when polling for the first phase in 89 of the 182 constituencies is underway in the state. Scores of people joined the Home Minister in the roadshow.
Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party national president JP Nadda promised to create an Anti-radicalisation Cell to identify “any potential threats”.
“We will create an anti-radicalisation cell to identify and eliminate potential threats, and sleeper cells of the terrorist organisations and anti-India forces,” Nadda said while addressing a gathering after releasing the party manifesto, Sankalp Patra, for the upcoming assembly elections in Gujarat.
The BJP has highlighted the issues of terrorism and communal riots in their campaigning in Gujarat.
On November 26, the Union Home Minister had said that the Narendra Modi government in Gujarat established peace in the state and “taught a lesson” to the anti-social elements or rioters in 2002 adding that earlier incidents of riots and violence were common in Gujarat as the Congress party encouraged it.
Addressing a rally in Mahudha town of Kheda district, Shah said, “Earlier riots used to happen during the days of Congress, but the year 2002 (during Modi government) was the last year when some anti-social elements tried to incite riots and they were ‘taught a lesson’ and thrown out of Gujarat,” adding that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) established “permanent peace” in the state.
Meanwhile, the polling is taking place in 89 constituencies spread across 19 districts of Kutch, Saurashtra and South Gujarat.
A total of 2,39,76,670 voters who will cast their votes by 5 pm today will decide the fate of 788 candidates who are in the fray for the first phase.
Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been Gujarat’s longest-serving chief minister from 2001 till 2014.
In the 2017 Gujarat polls, the BJP’s tally stopped at 99 seats out of a total of 182 seats. The party has been in power for the last 27 years with Narendra Modi being the longest-serving chief minister of the state.
This time, the party under the leadership of PM Modi, Amit Shah and CR Paatil is aiming at getting its highest seat tally exceeding 140.
The state has been a BJP stronghold for a long and the party has set its sights on returning to power for the seventh term.
The state of Gujarat which has 182 assemblies goes into polls in two phases on December 1 and 5. The results of the polls will be out on December 8. (ANI)
