Congress leaders use Goa as a holiday retreat: Amit Shah

Panaji, Jan 30 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday chided top Congress leaders for using Goa only as a holiday retreat, while adding that only the BJP could usher in development as well as provide stability in the poll-bound state.

"If you bring a BJP government here, will Modi's hands be strengthened or not? Do we have to do it or not? Rahul Baba cannot run the country," Shah said.

"For us Goa is golden Goa, for the Congress, it is Gandhi parivar ka Goa. They want a retreat to come for a holiday every once in a while. Their leaders take a lot of holidays," Shah said.

BJP leaders have often chided the Gandhis, Sonia and Rahul, for repeatedly holidaying in Goa.

Through 2018-19, Sonia Gandhi, sometimes accompanied by her son Rahul or daughter Priyanka had holidayed in Goa on four occasions.

Shah also said that the Sonia Gandhi-Manmohan Singh led United Progressive Alliance governments had ignored the issue of national security due to vote bank politics.

"For ten years, the Sonia-Manmohan government was running and from Pakistan. Alia, Maliya and Jamalia used to sneak in behead our solders, but it would not even create a stir in the minds of those running the government from Delhi because of vote bank politics," Shah said.

"When Modi government came to power, there was an attack in Uri, Pulwama. But then they realised that Manmohan government had moved out. It was Modi in power now... In ten days, there was a surgical strike and air strike. Did you ever think this would happen before?" he also said.

Shah also urged the voters of Goa to ignore small parties like the Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and vote only for the for the BJP, which he said can provide a stable government oriented towards development.

"I want to ask, can these small parties which have come from other states, can they give development? Can they understand what you want? Development in Goa started only during an administration run by the BJP," Shah said.

Elections to 40 assembly seats in Goa is scheduled to be held on February 14.