NRC, surgical hit to help BJP face Cong Rafale heat

New Delhi: In a bid to blunt Congress attacks on the Rafale fighter jets and economic issues, the BJP plans to build a campaign around nationalism on the twin planks of illegal infiltration and the Centre’s “tough policy” on security matters related to Pakistan and the Maoists, sources said.

Sources in the BJP said that the decision to hold nationwide events on September 28-29 to mark the second anniversary of the surgical strikes, following a relatively quiet first anniversary of the Army operation in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), was taken to highlight the government’s tough policy on security matters.

The Congress has been attacking the Narendra Modi government over the Rafale deal and absconders like Nirav Modi. The BJP with its nationalist narrative plans to turn the tables on the Opposition parties.

BJP president Amit Shah has also been constantly speaking on the issue of illegal infiltration and has gone on to assert that the government will identify such infiltrators across the country if the saffron party retains power after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

A senior BJP functionary said the top leaders of the party believe that the contentious issue of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) of Assam can help them, especially in states where infiltrators are said to be living in large numbers.

Mr Amit Shah has targeted the Congress and its president Rahul Gandhi over the issue, accusing the latter of standing with those who are a “threat” to national security.

BJP leaders have claimed that West Bengal is home to millions of infiltrators. Many party leaders have demanded an NRC-like exercise in the state.

The recent arrests of five activists by the Maharashtra police for their alleged links to the Maoists have also become a handy issue for the BJP after the Supreme Court refused to interfere with the police action.

Meanwhile, the Congress hit out at external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj for using her speech at the UNGA to woo voters

On Saturday, Ms Swaraj tore into Pakistan at the UNGA for providing safe haven to terrorists and its verbal duplicity on peace talks.

Hitting out at the minister’s address Congress MP and former minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor said, “We get the sense that everything is about the political environment in India and this was a speech aimed at BJP voters and sending a message to them particularly on subject of Pakistan rather than constructing a positive and constructive image of India in the world.”