Go drown yourself in a pool of water: Amit Shah to Cong leaders on AFSPA promise

BJP chief Amit Shah Wednesday lambasted Congress leaders over the party's promise of reviewing the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and withdrawing the anti-sedition law, saying they should "drown" themselves in a pool of water, as he pledged his party's support to the forces and sanctity of the AFSPA.

Addressing a rally in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur, the BJP chief also slammed former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti for advocating a separate prime minister for the state and threatening secession of J&K from India.

Shah hit the campaign trail in J&K in support of party candidates -- Union Minister Jitendra Singh and sitting MP Jugal Kishore -- addressing rallies at Udhampur and Sunderbani in Rajouri districts.

Earlier in the day, he also addressed a gathering in Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand, where all five constituencies will go to polls in a single phase on April 11.

"Congress and its leaders should be ashamed of it (announcing dilution of AFSPA and removing sedition act). Go drown yourself in a pool of water. They have said in manifesto they will dilute AFSPA. They should be day-dreaming," Shah said, alleging the Congress manifesto promotes the interest of terrorists and anti-India forces.

"This is Narendra Modi government, nobody can dilute the AFSPA as we are standing like a rock behind the security forces, protecting (our) border," Shah asserted.

In its manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls released Tuesday, the Congress promised that if voted to power it will review the AFSAP, which provides special powers to the force, in Jammu and Kashmir. It also proposed to omit Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code that defines the offence of 'sedition', saying it has been "misused" and become "redundant because of subsequent laws".

The BJP chief said the party brought down its government in J&K when the pressure came on it to dilute the AFSPA. "We kicked the chair. We left the government on the AFSPA. The Congress and its leaders should be ashamed of what they have announced."
Asserting that the BJP and its government have no tolerance to forces out to break the country, Shah said those raising slogans like 'bharat tere tukde honge' should not be allowed to go scot free. "Their place is in jails."
"You (Omar) will make PM and we will sit silently?"
"The Congress is having an electoral alliance with the party. I want to ask the Congress president to clarify to the nation whether or not he agrees with his ally's demand."