Manish Tewari takes on Amit Shah, says Election Commission should disqualify BJP

Congress leader Manish Tewari on Sunday lashed out at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah for claiming to form the government in Uttar Pradesh if communal disturbances persist there, saying the Election Commission should disqualify the former's party on grounds of communalising the country's political process.

"If this is the fundamental idea of BJP in order to get electoral advantage, the Election Commission and courts must take suo moto advantage. It makes out a clear case for the disqualification of the Bharatiya Janata Party on grounds of politicisation, on grounds of communalising the political processes," said Tewari.

Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Majid Memon said Shah should not make such claims as the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh are far off.

"Amit Shah is the chief of ruling party and, therefore, he should choose his statements carefully. The comment - that if riots persist we will claim power - this is a dangerous statement and we condemn it," said Memon.

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Atul Kumar Anjan also condemned Shah's statements and criticized the BJP. "BJP chief Amit Shah's comment that if communal riots continue in Uttar Pradesh, they will be able to form government there is a clear indication that BJP is trying to have alliance with Bahujan Samaj Party and other parties to form government. They have started their operation UP," he said.

Anjan further said that the BJP cannot sit peacefully until they claim power in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Manoj Jha on his part said the BJP is not only going against the Indian Constitution but is also resorting to criminal means to gain power.

"I tell you this is criminal if somebody speaks like this that if the communal tension persists we will form the government. I mean what is your idea of politics? Is your idea of politics to kill people? To create a situation whereby thousands of people lose their lives? And what you get, you form the government," said Jha.

Amit Shah, during an interview to a TV channel, had said that the BJP will form the next government in Uttar Pradesh if communal tension continues in the state.