Rajamahendravaram, Mar 7 (PTI): BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday tore into Congress over disruptions in Parliament and asked the opposition party to desist from using Parliament as a platform to settle "political scores" instead of a forum to discuss issues concerning development of country.
"If you want to play politics, choose a state (for electoral fight). BJP is ready to pick up the challenge," Shah said, addressing a huge public meeting organised by the state BJP unit in the Arts College grounds in Rajamahendravaram on Sunday evening.
"Is Parliament for debates or slogan-shouting? Is it for development or to settle political scores," the BJP chief said.
"If you have to settle political scores, jump into the electoral battlefield. BJP workers don't fear anyone. Do do haath kar lenge (lets fight)," Shah said.
He asked Congress to let Parliament be a forum for development, "one that leads the country on the path to progress".
"Let Parliament be a forum that enhances the country’s prestige," Shah added.
Lashing out in particular at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for calling the sloganeering in JNU as "freedom of speech", Shah asked the crowd could slogans like "Bharat tere tukde honge...Bharat teri barbaadi tak jung jaari rahegi..." be called freedom of speech.
"Is it freedom of speech or anti-national?" he asked.
"One of the biggest achievements of the NDA government was to fully secure the borders of the country. Today, no one can dare to behead our soldiers (on the borders) and carry them away. They know it is Narendra Modi government...NDA government...that is ruling India," the BJP chief said.
Union Minister for Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu, AP state unit BJP president and MP Kambhampati Hari Babu, former Union minister Daggubati Purandeswari and others were present.
The BJP president asked the party workers to visit villages to strengthen the party in the state.
Shah thanked the people of Andhra Pradesh for helping NDA win 17 Lok Sabha seats out of 25 in the state.
The BJP president said the Opposition is "misinforming" the people about the various government measures taken in the last one and half year and highlighted the various initiatives of the Modi-government for development of Andhra Pradesh.
He said the Central government has provided schemes worth over Rs 1,40,000 crore for the state since it came to power, besides bringing in amendments to implement the multi-purpose irrigation project — Polavaram Project.
The BJP president also credited the Modi-government for according the project a 'national project' status and said it is a lifeline of the state, specially Rajamahendravaram region.
He extended all support to the project, saying "whatever needs to be done, the Central government will do" but said "if someone says that the entire cost of the project would be given in just a single budget then he is misinforming the people".
Highlighting the initiatives of Centre, he said the Modi-government has selected every village of the state in the pilot project to provide round the clock electricity by 2019, besides providing funds for various projects like national highway, international water way and Pradham Mantri Awas Yojana, among others.
Shah said the Modi-government has given the list of their initiatives in the last one and half years and asked Congress to tell the people what they have done in last 60 years.
