Exclusive: We will definitely win Bihar election, says Home Minister Amit Shah in interview with Editor-in-Chief of Zee News Sudhir Chaudhary

In one of the most explosive interviews of 2020, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Editor-in-Chief of Zee News Sudhir Chaudhary today on several issues including the ongoing India-China standoff at Line of Actual Control (LAC), Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death and Bihar Assembly elections, and much more. Here are the edited excerpts of the freewheeling interview:

Sudhir Chaudhary: Amit Ji you are most welcome. We congratulate you on behalf of Zee Media viewers and wish you a very happy Navratri.  

Amit Shah: I also congratulate the entire nation on the occasion of Navratri and would like to tell everyone that the festival of power should be celebrated in a way that we move forward in the direction of beating Coronavirus. Take precautions, wear masks, maintain two feet distance and also take care of cleanliness. This festival brings out happiness for everyone and the luck this festival has brought will take us as a nation on the path of progress. This is how I wish and congratulate the nation.    

Q. Amit Ji you have always been in limelight for your work, but this year you have been in limelight also because of poor health and there was a concern about your health in the entire country. Your well-wishers were worried and your enemies were planning something. So, the first thing entire country wants to know is about your health update. How are you doing?

A. First,  I would like to make it clear that I do not have enmity against anyone. However, there might be people who may have objection towards my ideology and my style of working. I do not want to be dragged into this, and would like to make that clear that I am completely fit and healthy now.  I was infected with corona and there was a little weakness initially. Doctors have suggested to stay in isolation to regain my immunity. Now, I am completely healthy and work with full energy and at currently I am present among you.

Watch Tweet Below:

बिहार में कितनी सीटें जीतेगी बीजेपी ? हर सवाल का जवाब

2020 का सबसे बड़ा साक्षात्कार

Zee News के एडिटर इन चीफ़ @sudhirchaudhary के साथ गृह मंत्री @AmitShah का सबसे विस्फ़ोटक इंटरव्यू

आज रात 8 बजे ZEE MEDIA के सभी चैनलों पर #AmitShahOnZeeNews pic.twitter.com/CffstSHtE9

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) October 19, 2020

Q. Since there are different ideologies among political leaders across the world, leaders of big stature are usually secretive about their health?
A: I am not a bit secretive about my health. I tweeted about coronavirus within 20 minutes of being infected with the virus. I had also said that everyone who came in my contact should get their tests done, quarantine themselves, so that others do not get infected. There is nothing to keep secret about it. Anyone can fall ill any time. It is important to get treated for it.

Q.  Did you public exposure got limited during this period? You were not seen in public for long time. It appears that your first public exposure will be upcoming Bihar elections? 

A. Yes, I am scheduled to visit Bihar after October 25. 

Q.  I remember visiting Bihar in 2015 during Bihar Assembly Elections. You had said that BJP was in good position at that point of time as well. What difference do you see from 2015 and now? 

A: We were also in good position 2015. Our position had only strengthened and we also won more seats in Bihar assembly and our vote count has also gone up. But since social equation was not in our favour, we had lost the election. And it is also very much evident that JDU-RJD alliance and other alliances had their social equation stronger than the BJP.  But this time is different. Social equation is in our favour this time, 

Another thing is that after Narendra Modi government successfully completed its five-year tenure had also very bravely handled corona situation in the country. The problem was even grave for daily wagers, who had nothing to earn and feed their family during the lockdown. 60 crore poor people were the worst hit during these difficult times and by ensuring free ration from March till “Chhath Puja” at their doorsteps, the Narendra Modi government has done a splendid job. Money was sent in every women Jan Dhan account, Rs 6,000 was transferred in every farmer’s account, every disabled, every old person received money.

Watch Tweet Below:

बिहार में BJP @NitishKumar के कंधों पर या नीतीश कुमार प्रधानमंत्री मोदी के कंधों पर?

2020 का सबसे बड़ा साक्षात्कार

Zee News के एडिटर इन चीफ़ @sudhirchaudhary के साथ गृह मंत्री @AmitShah का सबसे विस्फ़ोटक इंटरव्यू

आज रात 8 बजे ZEE MEDIA के सभी चैनलों पर #AmitShahOnZeeNews pic.twitter.com/y3oXAtKzSj

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) October 19, 2020

All I am saying is that be small scale, medium or large industries, the Modi government announced package catering to each sector and it has helped sate like Bihar very much. Bihar government also did a good job during this period. Almost every migrant labourer who returned to Bihar was provided food, shelter and were given Rs 1,000 from the state government after completion of their mandatory quarantine period. Currently, Bihar’s recovery rate has crossed 90%, it has come around 94% now. This is one of the fastest recovery rates in India. You know that Bihar health infrastructure is naturally considered comparatively weaker than other states, and even under this scenario, a recovery rate of 94 % is a great achievement of Nitish Ji government. 

So the kind of work under Modi Ji, Indian government and under Nitish Ji, NDA government in Bihar have done against Coronavirus is our great savings. This is ought to pay us dividend in Bihar elections and social equation is also in our favour.     

See Zee Business Live TV Streaming Below:

Q. If you remember when this Covid-19 episode has begun, migrant labourers was a big issue and there was a big hype about it in the media as well. It appeared at that point as if the situation was not under control the way people were out on streets. Do you think that situation, the images of those situation will benefit you or hurt you in any way in the election as it will be first referendum of people on it since this is the first election in this period.  

A.  It is fact that many people had left for their native places on foot before any arrangement could have been made. But this is also a fact that more than 1500 trains carrying migrant labourers and people in general safely from different states had left for Bihar. It is also a fact that 2.5 crore had been sent to their respective places with the help of trains, buses and other different modes of transporation. But it was not possible to ferry everyone at the same time. There was such situation in some states, especially in Maharashtra where there was a communication gap and lack of facility to ferry these people to railway stations, forcing them to leave for their respective destination on foot. 

Despite it many governments, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and others, tried their best to pick them up by sending buses and ferrying them back to railway stations. Their food arrangements were also made, but it is also a fact that despite all efforts there were people who suffered during this period. But they also understand that when 50 people had returned to their village and only two out of them on their foot, the government had tried to make made sufficient arrangements.    

Q. But did it occur to you at that time that the government misread the situation or media hyped it more than what it was and opposition parties further hyped this matter even more?   

A. See, what happened was due to communication gap and certain migrant labourers losing their patience. Anyway, that shouldn’t have happened either. But when so many people left on their own, one week time that it took to help them, convince them to bring them back to the mainstream arrangements was a calamitous time. 

Q. Amit Ji there is big confusion about Chirag Paswan and LJP. It is not clear they are on which side. It appears that even people are confused and it might happen that your workers too would be confused. How do you plan to solve this confusion? 

A It is good that you asked this question Sudhir ji. I cannot speak anything on behalf of LJP as I have no right to speak on behalf of the party, but I would like to clear all the air on behalf of NDA and BJP that LJP is not part of NDA in Bihar elections. In Bihar, four parties have come together under Shri Nitish Kumar to fight elections. And since Modi ji is leading NDA at national level, I would like to appeal to all the worker of these four parties to work hard to ensure a win for the representatives. 

There are many things that are said during elections that could create confusion but Bihar people have very good understanding of political acumen. Those who understand Bihar politics also know that Bihar is among the two-three states that are politically more aware in the country. They know who stands where. It does not change anything by putting pictures in newspapers or posters. Modi Ji will visit Bihar, I will go Bihar, our national president will also tour Bihar to clear all the confusion. This matter cannot remain hidden. This is clear that NDA is fighting under Nitish Kumar and LJP is nowhere in this picture.

Q. Chirag Paswan's statement that Modi ji is in his heart as Shri Ram ji was in Hanuman ji's heart. Do you think this statement was made to create confusion? 

A. No, many Opposition parties think like that. It doesn’t mean that he is with BJP, many people think like that. 

Q. Do you think Chirag Paswan is being too ambitious? This is because there was no such problem when Paswan ji (Ram Vilas Paswan) was alive? 

A. This is his own calculation. I have no right to comment on whether he is ambitious or not, but I would like to say that from our end, from NDA side, BJP was talking to him, Nadda ji was discussing with him, I was also talking to him, Both of us, our national president and me, have offered him enough seats but he did not agree and walked away from the alliance. When he severed the ties with the alliance, he is not part of the alliance as far as Bihar election is concerned.  

Q. And since he continues to be part of the alliance in the Centre, this confusion is also because of that? 

A. This is time of Bihar election, the situation which will appear after that will make things clearer, but I would like to make that clear that LJP is not part of NDA in Bihar elections.

Q. LJP leaders are also saying that you have given more importance to VIP party and its shouldn’t have happened. By giving more prominence to VIP, have you made them VVIP?  

A. This is their understanding. I also want that and the BJP under Modi ji has anyway tried to give better position to backwards and even better to extra backwards. 

Here Are The Highlights:
* We will definitely win the Bihar Assembly election: Amit Shah

* Had RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav not been involved in fodder scam, he would still be in the political battlefield: Amit Shah

* PM Narendra Modi is leading the country and Nitish Kumar is leading Bihar: Amit Shah

* LJP is not part of NDA in Bihar Assembly election: Amit Shah

* We ended the chaos in government in Bihar that has been going on for years: Amit Shah

* In 2015 Bihar Assembly election, we were in good condition but the social equation was not in our favour but this time it is in our favour: Amit Shah

* Speaking on Article 370, Amit Shah said, "Corruption stopped due to the removal of 370 so these people are upset."

* Sometimes, there was a communication gap and there is no doubt people have suffered, but all the state governments have done their best: Amit Shah

* Talking on the Sino-India border row, the Home Minister on Monday denied the possibility of a two-front war and said that talks between top officials of both the armies and diplomatic fronts are going on to resolve the crucial issue. He also added that the PM Modi-led government is committed to secure every inch of the land of our country.

* On the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, the Home Minister said that Maharashtra's government should have handed over this case to CBI when the actor's family was demanding it.  

* Amit Shah poohpoohed the Congress leader's 15 minutes remarks on pushing back the Chinese armies from the border.

* On the Bihar Assembly election, he said that Nitish Kumar is hendling the NDA alliance in the state.