Amit Shah Batla House Parliament Sonia Gandhi
Amit Shah Slams UPA on Terror, Cites Batla House Encounter and Salman Khurshid‘s Remarks
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New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on teh previous UPA goverment’s handling of terrorism, drawing parallels with the 2008 Delhi serial blasts and the subsequent Batla House encounter. Shah specifically invoked remarks made by former Union minister Salman Khurshid regarding the encounter, challenging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to detail his party’s actions against terror during their tenure.
Batla House Encounter: A Flashpoint in Counter-Terrorism
The controversy stems from the September 13, 2008, serial blasts in Delhi, which claimed approximately 30 lives and left many injured. The Indian Mujahideen had claimed responsibility for these attacks. A week later, a Delhi Police team, led by encounter specialist Mohan Chand Sharma, raided a flat in Batla House, South Delhi, based on intelligence that terrorists involved in the blasts were hiding there.
The raid escalated into a fierce encounter,resulting in the deaths of two terrorists,Atif Ameen and Mohammad Sajid,as well as Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma.
Years later, during the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Salman khurshid reportedly stated that Sonia Gandhi, the then Congress president, had wept profusely upon seeing images of the slain terrorists. It was this statement that Amit Shah brought to the forefront during his parliamentary address.
“I have saved that speech of Salman khurshid on my mobile phone. Decide a time for tomorrow. I can share it here. People will also watch,” Shah declared, offering to present the evidence.
Shah’s Challenge to Rahul Gandhi on UPA’s Counter-Terror Record
The Home Minister further escalated his attack by directly challenging the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, to enumerate the steps taken by the UPA government against terrorists. Shah’s remarks came as Rahul Gandhi was expected to participate in a discussion on “Operation Sindoor” later in the day, a fact Shah seemed to acknowledge with his pointed challenge.
“The culprits of the Baisaran Valley have been killed by the Army. I don’t need to speak now, nor should they ask any questions.I challenge Rahul Gandhi to tell what action you took in the wake of the series of terror attacks that happened during your regime,” Shah stated.
Data Highlights UPA’s Terror Statistics vs. modi Government’s Success
Amit Shah presented stark data to underscore his claims. He highlighted that between 2004 and 2014,during the UPA’s rule,Jammu and Kashmir witnessed 7,217 terror incidents,leading to the deaths of 1,770 civilians.
In contrast, Shah asserted that the narendra modi government has seen a notable reduction in terror-related activities in Kashmir. He claimed that terror incidents have decreased by 70% and civilian casualties have fallen by 80%, with 357 civilian deaths reported during the current government’s tenure. This comparison aimed to draw a clear distinction in the effectiveness of counter-terrorism strategies between the two administrations.