In poll-bound MP, Shah again calls infiltrators termites; also mocks Manmohan

Bhopal, Oct 6: Addressing a rally at Ratlam in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, BJP president Amit Shah Saturday once again described infiltrators as "termites" and promised to drive them out. He also mocked Manmohan Singh, saying the former prime minister used to read out speeches handed to him by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on foreign tours.

"(Former prime minister) Lal Bahadur Shastri had given the slogan 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan'. While you (farmers) feed the people, they (soldiers) guard our borders. But infiltrators are like termites who eat away at the country's security. They need to be removed," Shah said.

Forty lakh people were excluded from the final draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam and all those living illegally in the country would be evicted, he added.

"We will drive out each and every infiltrator. The BJP will not allow a single infiltrator to stay. For us, vote bank is not important, the country's security is," Shah said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief had compared infiltrators to termites at a rally in Rajasthan last month. In his Saturday's speech, he also mocked Manmohan Singh. Referring to the criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his frequent foreign tours, Shah claimed that "Mauni Baba Manmohan Singhji" had made more trips abroad.

"When Manmohanji travelled abroad, he used to carry papers given by Madam (an apparent reference to then Congress president Sonia Gandhi), read them out and come back.

"At times, he used to read the page supposed to be read in Malaysia in Thailand and the page meant for Thailand in Malaysia," the BJP chief quipped.

When Modi travels to a foreign country, thousands of people come to greet him and chant slogans, he said.

"These slogans are not for Modi or the BJP, but out of respect for 125 crore Indians," Shah added.

Earlier on Saturday, Shah launched his party's mass-contact campaign in the BJP-ruled state where Assembly polls will be held on November 28.

PTI