Amit Shah takes 'kaala chashma' jibe at Rahul Gandhi

Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticizes Rahul Gandhi's approach to terrorism and development in Jammu and Kashmir.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday (March 21, 2025) in a sharp jibe at Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi while speaking in the Rajya Sabha on counter-terrorism operations and development in Jammu and Kashmir.

"If someone is sitting with kaala chashma [black glasses] on, how is it possible to show them the development,?" Mr. Shah asked.

Further responding to Mr. Gandhi's remarks during his Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kashmir in 2023, Mr. Shah said, "One leader went on a foot march, went to Kashmir, played Holi with snow with his karyakartas and then claimed he saw terrorists from afar."

"Arre bhai, nazar mein hi aatankwadi hai toh sapne mein bhi aayega aur Kashmir mein bhi" [If someone has terrorist in their mind, he will appear in your dreams as well as in Kashmir], Mr. Shah said.

Emphasising the Modi government's zero-tolerance policy over terrorism, Mr. Shah said, "Whenever we see a terrorist, we shoot right between the eyes. Our government can neither tolerate terrorism nor terrorists."

During his speech, Mr. Shah highlighted the significant reduction in terrorism-related deaths in Jammu and Kashmir under the Modi government.

"Earlier, terrorists from the neighbouring country used to enter Kashmir almost every day and carry out bomb blasts. There was not a single festival that passed without any worries. Even after this, the central government's attitude was flexible. There was fear of speaking, so they remained silent, and there was fear of the vote bank," he said.