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Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) poster boy and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma exuded confidence that the party under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will come to power for the third consecutive term.
At a time when the BJP has also coined a new slogan, 'Teesri baar Modi Sarkar, Ab Ki Baar 400 Paar' for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, in an exclusive interview with OTV News Editor, Radha Madhab Mishra, Assam's Chief Minister said, “My own assessment says that BJP will poll 10 percent more votes than last year and form government in many states, with clear majority not in Parliament but also in ballot boxes with 50 percent votes. My assessment is that BJP will win between 325 and 400 seats this time.”
Wrong Timing Of Congress Yatra
On Congress’ Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the Assam Chief Minister said that whenever an opposition leader undertakes any yatra, there is some traction in the state. "He (Rahul Gandhi) will enter Assam on January 18. But he (Rahul) had chosen the wrong time to undertake the yatra. If he wanted to do it anyway, he should have done it after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Lord Ram in Ayodhya," he said.
“The country’s discussion, attraction, faith and devotion is now with Ayodhya. I will say that they (Congress) are not a politically matured party, else they could have started after January 25,” said Sarma.
Root Of Manipur Violence Is Congress
During Congress rule, 10 to 11 times such incidents have taken place. Whatever is happening today is due to the wrong policies of the Congress as they kept people separate and never allowed people to stay together, alleged Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
According to Sarma, the roots of Manipur violence go back to the Congress party. The Congress will not be in contest and the NDA will win both the seats in Manipur, he added.
Ram Mandir And Politics
Amidst the controversy over Ram Mandir, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Congress has given a number of Prime Ministers. After 75 years of Independence, the Ram temple consecration ceremony is going to happen.
“Who stopped Indira Gandhi or Dr Manmohan Singh? The project should have belonged to you (Congress) and when BJP took it during its rule, you (Congress) are saying that it is a political project. Lord Ram is not a subject for politics but Congress made it political by boycotting the ceremony,” said Sarma in an exclusive interview with OTV.
“I will raise the issue during the election campaign that you (Congress) could visit Babar's tomb and not visit Ram’s birthplace. If it has or will become political in the future, it will only be due to Congress boycott and not because of Lord Ram,” Sarma said.
What After Ram Temple?
To a question about what would be BJP’s next move, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the next projects will be Mathura and Gyanvapi as they naturally belong to the Hindus. A lot of archaeological evidence is coming from Krishna Janmabhoomi and Gynavyapi in Kashi Viswanath.
“I urge the Muslim population that it is Hindu culture and the nation cannot thrive on conflict. Our secularism is a product of Hindu civilisation and not a West-inspired secular country. We never decided that our country will follow the Western mode of secularism, rather we will follow the culture and the definition of secularism of our country,” said Sarma.
According to Sarma, when the Muslim community says that it is of Hindus, how can there be communal clashes? Lakhs of devotees come to Mathura or Baba Biswanath daily. How many Muslim people visit mosques? Is there no translocation of a mosque during the construction of national highways or big projects of the government, asked Sarma.
“The Ram Janmabhoomi cannot change but a normal mosque or temple can be replaced. If you voluntarily vacate Mathura and Kashi then a new foundation for the country’s development will be laid. I urge the Muslim community that there cannot be translocation of Ram or Krishna Janmabhoomi or Mecca and Medina, but there should be no objection if normal temples or mosques which have come up recently are translocated for nation’s development.”
No Competition Between Ram and Puri Jagannath Temple
There is no competition between Lord Ram and Lord Jagannath or God or Allah. There is competition of thought. If you say that it is complimentary it is ok, said Assam Chief Minister in response to a question on BJD’s decision for Srimandir Heritage project inauguration ahead of the Ram Temple inauguration.
“If you say that Ram Temple is built in Ayodhya and Heritage project in Puri and it is complimentary, there are no issues. But if you make it a competition, it will not do any good to the nation’s culture and Hindu unity. We should not make anything contradictory that is complementary,” said Sarma.
