Page 3 - Amit Shah

Bengal polls: Shah outlines BJP's roadmap, projects Dilip Ghosh as key face

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday outlined an action plan for the BJP's West Bengal unit while reviewing its preparedness for the assembly polls due early next year. Addressing the party's public representatives, both past and present, Shah sought to project a unified front, while indicating former state president Dilip Ghosh as one of the main faces of the saffron camp for the elections. Ghosh, who has largely stayed away from the forefront of the BJP's activities in the state over the past several months, was also invited to the closed-door meeting attended by the party's MPs, MLAs, civic body councillors and organisational portfolio holders. Shah held the meeting to take stock of the BJP West Bengal unit's preparedness for the assembly polls next year. He reportedly held a separate meeting with Ghosh, alongside another former state president Sukanta Majumdar, incumbent Samik Bhattacharya, and the state's leader of the opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, indicating bridging of

Amit Shah chairs meeting of BJP MLAs, MPs in Kolkata ahead of 2026 polls

Amit Shah is visiting the state and holding a series of meetings with party leaders as part of the BJP's organisational outreach

Amit Shah to visit Andaman and Nicobar Islands on January 2: Official

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to visit Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the first week of January to chair a meeting of the parliamentary consultative committee, an official said on Tuesday. Shah is likely to arrive here on January 2. He will be received by Lt Governor Admiral D K Joshi (Retd) at the airport, the official said. The Home minister will chair the Parliamentary Consultative Committee meeting of the Ministry of Home Affairs on January 3, he said. "On January 3, Shah will interact with the Parliamentary Consultative Committee in Wandoor, and later he will attend an event on Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Dr B R Ambedkar Institute of Technology (DBRAIT) auditorium in Dollygunj," the official said. Shah will depart from the archipelago on January 4. The Home minister had visited Andaman and Nicobar Islands on December 12 to commemorate the 116th anniversary of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar's (Veer Savarkar) iconic poem, 'Sagara Pran Talamala'. The Chief of Defence S

TMC hits back at Amit Shah, says BJP won't cross 50 seats in Bengal polls

The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday hit back at Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing him of peddling falsehoods and making baseless claims about securing a two-thirds majority in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Senior TMC leader and state education minister Bratya Basu told reporters that Shah's remarks were based on hollow assertions and claimed that the BJP would not even cross the 50-seat mark in the polls. "Shah will keep coming and going like a tourist. Such visits will serve no purpose," Basu said on the sidelines of a programme. "The BJP will not even cross the 50-mark in the assembly polls and suffer a humiliating defeat," Basu claimed. Addressing a press conference here, Shah claimed that the BJP would form the next government in the state with a "two-thirds majority in 2026". "We will not only identify infiltrators, but we'll also drive them out. Bengal will have a new BJP government after April 15, 2026, as people have made up their minds," he said. TMC ...

Shah to hold series of organisational meetings on 2nd day of Bengal visit

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold a series of meetings with party leaders in Kolkata on Tuesday, with barely a few months left for the assembly elections in West Bengal. Shah reached the city on Monday on a three-day visit. He is scheduled to hold back-to-back closed-door meetings with the BJP's MLAs and MPs, besides representatives in various civic bodies, a leader said. He is also expected to meet the top brass of the RSS in the state. He is also scheduled to address a press conference during the day. After his arrival on Monday, Shah held a meeting at the BJP office in Salt Lake to take stock of the party's organisational preparedness for the upcoming polls. His visit is focused on setting the BJP's tone and tenor for the upcoming elections, party leaders said.

Amit Shah on day-long visit to Assam; to inaugurate projects, address rally

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to arrive here on Monday on a day-long visit to Assam to inaugurate several projects and address a public meeting, officials said. Shah was earlier scheduled to arrive in Guwahati on Sunday night from Ahmedabad, but his flight could not take off due to fog and his visit was postponed to Monday. The home minister will begin his visit by paying homage to martyrs of the Assam movement against illegal infiltrators at the newly constructed 'Swahid Smarak Kshetra' here. He will then leave for Batadrava Than, the birthplace of Vaishnava saint Srimanta Sankardeva, in Borduwa of Nagaon district, where he will inaugurate the Rs 227 crore redevelopment project of the spiritual site. The home minister is also scheduled to address a public rally at Borduwa, immediately after the inauguration. Shah will return to Guwahati where he will inaugurate a Rs 111-crore new building of the Guwahati Police Commissionerate and the Rs 189-crore integrated command

Amit Shah to arrive on 2-day Assam visit on Sunday, to inaugurate projects

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to arrive here on Sunday night on a two-day visit to Assam to inaugurate several projects and address a public meeting, officials said on Saturday. After arriving, Shah will spend the night at the state guest house in Koinadhara. On Monday, the home minister is scheduled to pay homage to martyrs of the Assam movement against infiltrators at the newly constructed 'Swahid Smarak Kshetra' before leaving for Batadrava Than, birthplace of Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva in Nagaon district, where he will inaugurate the redevelopment project of the spiritual site. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said the state government has taken efforts to restore the sanctity and grandeur of Batadrava Than, which has been freed from encroachments. "Batadrava Than, freed from encroachments, is now a shining example of what steely resolve can do for the protection of our heritage," the CM had said. Shah will return to Guwahati where he will ..

Amit Shah calls for strong, unified anti-terror grid across India

Addressing an anti-terror meet, Amit Shah said 40 kg of explosives were used in the Red Fort attack, while timely intelligence helped recover 3 tonnes earlier, preventing a bigger attack

India entered semiconductors late but will soon start exporting: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said India's entry into the semiconductor industry was "strong" though a bit late, but the country would soon be self-reliant in the sector and even start exporting. Speaking at the Abhyudaya Madhya Pradesh Growth Summit here, he praised the BJP government in the state for the registration of 4.57 lakh MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) in just one year. Thanks to Madhya Pradesh's geographical location and its fertile land, one can earn crores of rupees by investing even a small amount, he said. "We have made a strong entry into the semiconductor industry, although a bit late. Very soon we will not only become self-reliant in the semiconductor sector, but also start exporting," he said. Shah inaugurated or performed groundbreaking ceremony for industrial projects worth Rs 2 lakh crore on this occasion to mark the 101st birth anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee. "Atal ji was a great orator, sensitive poet, a le

Chemical fertilisers cause diseases, natural farming boosts income: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday termed chemical fertilisers as the root cause of many diseases and made a strong pitch for natural farming, saying it not only increases farmers' income but also saves water and promotes public health. Addressing a Farmers' Conference held here, Shah said the government was developing a "complete system" - from soil and laboratory testing, certification to packaging - to ensure that the agricultural produce of the country's farmers reaches global level in a better way as there is a huge market for natural farming in the world. "Chemical fertilisers are the root cause of many diseases today. Natural farming is an approach that doesn't reduce farmers' income, but instead makes their produce pure," he said. Natural farming is a traditional practice that people have forgotten over the time. A dung and urine of a single indigenous cow can help cultivate 21 acres of land, he said. "It (natural farming) increases income, saves water, and relieves

Udhayanidhi mocks AIADMK, calls it 'Amit Shah' Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has alleged that the SIR of electoral rolls was a "shortcut" attempt of the BJP to delete votes of people who vote for his party, the DMK and mocked at rival AIADMK saying it has become "Amit Shah Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam." Reiterating his allegation that the BJP-led Centre was yet again attempting to impose Hindi on Tamil Nadu through the New Education Policy, the ruling DMK youth wing chief said that while other states have agreed to it "our chief minister has made it clear that it is not possible" even if it would bring Rs 10,000 crore payout from the union government. Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami has "completely surrendered himself " to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Udhayanidhi said in a mocking tone. He ridiculed the main opposition party saying, "the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has become Amit Shah Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam." AIADMK chief Palaniswami who has aligned with the BJP claims

PM Modi, Shah must resign: Congress after relief in National Herald case

The Congress on Wednesday demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation after a Delhi court refused to take cognisance of the ED's money laundering charge against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. The opposition party also vowed to expose the "vendetta politics" against its leadership, asserting that the Congress cadre is agitated and is going to show its strength against the "misuse of agencies." "We will keep fighting them both inside and outside Parliament and teach them a lesson," party president Mallikarjun Kharge said at a press conference. In a relief to Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and five others, a Delhi court on Tuesday refused to take cognisance of the Enforcement Directorate's money laundering charge against them in the National Herald case, holding that the agency's probe stemmed from a private complaint and not an FIR. "I want to say that after this judgement Modi and Shah should resign because it is like

TN CM Stalin slams Amit Shah, says state will not bow before 'arrogance'

Lashing out at the BJP, Chief Minister MK Stalin has said not only Union Minister Amit Shah, but even an entire battalion of the RSS people will not be able to electorally influence Tamil Nadu and that the DMK would emerge victorious by defeating the saffron party. Addressing the DMK's youth wing (north zone) functionaries meeting here, Stalin recalled the hard work behind the growth and development of the party's young wing over the decades and the work of leaders, including him. Alleging that right-wing outfits were working aggressively after the BJP assumed office at the Centre for the third time in 2024, he claimed that they were spreading lies and "defamatory and retrograde thoughts," and to take on this phenomenon, the party has to vigorously campaign and disseminate its principles. The CM said: "The duty is not just to safeguard Tamil Nadu and the Tamil language; we have the duty to protect the whole of India and its pluralism. The DMK is the only state party that is ...

Cong cites Rajmohan Gandhi's remark against 'vote chori' charge on Nehru

The Congress on Friday termed as a "blatant lie" Home Minister Amit Shah's "vote chori" charge against Jawaharlal Nehru as he cited eminent historian-author Rajmohan Gandhi's comments that people were very happy with Nehru becoming the prime minister and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel himself was in favour of it. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared on X a video clip of Rajmohan Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, in which he clarifies that the Pradesh Congress Committee's had batted for Patel to be the Congress president in 1946 and there was no question of prime ministership at the time. "The eminent historian-author and ex-MP Rajmohan Gandhi exposes one blatant lie told by the Union Home Minister in the Lok Sabha," Ramesh said on X. Rajmohan's paternal grandfather was the Mahatma while his maternal grandfather was C. Rajagopalachari, Nehru pointed out and shared the over 13-minute clip of Rajmohan Gandhi. "Thousands of people who went in jail fo

Amit Shah, Mohan Bhagwat to unveil statue of Veer Savarkar in Andaman today

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat are scheduled to unveil a statue of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Friday, officials said. Shah arrived here around 12.30 am, while Bhagwat reached the archipelago on Thursday evening, they said. Bhagwat and Shah are scheduled to unveil the statue of Savarkar at Beodnabad in South Andaman around 2.30 pm, the officials said. They will also be present at an event to release a song on Savarkar at BR Ambedkar Institute of Technology here around 4 pm. Savarkar was jailed in the Cellular Jail in Port Blair (now known as Sri Vijaya Puram) by the British in 1911. The Union home minister is likely to leave the islands on Friday evening. Bhagwat is scheduled to address a public gathering on Saturday under the banner of 'Virat Hindu Sammelan' at Netaji Stadium around 3.30 pm in Sri Vijaya Puram, the officials said. On Sunday, the RSS chief will attend another gathering at DBRAIT around 10 am, and depa

Parliament Winter Session HIGHLIGHTS: RS adjourns for the day, to meet at 11 am on Friday

Parliament Winter Session LIVE Updates: Stay tuned as discussion on electoral reforms is set continue in Rajya Sabha after the Opposition staged a walkout from both houses on Wednesday

Mamata calls Shah 'dangerous', warns of dharna over SIR voter deletions

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday called Union Home Minister Amit Shah "dangerous", and warned that she would sit on a dharna if even a single eligible voter's name was struck off from the list during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Launching a blistering attack on Shah, the chief minister said at a rally in Krishnanagar in Nadia district, "The country's home minister is dangerous. You can see it in his eyes it's terrifying. In one eye, you see 'Duryodhan', and in the other, 'Dushasan'." Alleging that the SIR was being used as a political weapon ahead of the 2026 assembly polls, Banerjee said, "If even a single eligible voter's name is struck off, I will sit on a dharna. There will be no detention camps in West Bengal. They are so hungry for votes that they are conducting the SIR just two months before elections." Banerjee said that she herself had not filled out her enumeration form so far. "Do I now need to prove my citizensh

Appeared under pressure: Rahul Gandhi as he takes dig at Shah's LS speech

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said he directly challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss his press conferences on "vote chori" in Parliament but did not get any answer. A day after the Lok Sabha witnessed a heated exchange between him and Shah during a debate on election reforms, Gandhi claimed that Shah appeared to be "under pressure". "He (Shah) used the wrong language, his hands were shaking, you would have seen all this. He is under pressure mentally that was witnessed in Parliament, the whole country saw it," the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha told reporters in the Parliament House complex. "The things I have said, he did not address, did not give any proof. We have said it publicly in press conferences. I directly challenged him to let us discuss my press conferences in Parliament. Did not get an answer. You know the reality," Gandhi said. Gandhi on Wednesday called the home minister's response during the debate "completely defensive" and asserted

SIR opposed to keep illegal immigrants on poll rolls, says Amit Shah

Shah attributed the Opposition's protest against the SIR to the incompetence of its leadership to win elections, and not Electronic Voting Machines or 'vote chori (theft)'

Amit Shah defends SIR, asks if illegal immigrants should vote in India

During a debate on election reforms, Home Minister Amit Shah said the Election Commission has the full mandate to conduct SIR under Article 326 of the Constitution