Union Home Minister Amit Shah made a decisive statement at a rally in Maharashtra on November 13, 2024, reaffirming that Article 370—which previously granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir—will never be reinstated. Shah’s comment, asserting that the provision would remain defunct “even if former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi were to return from heaven,” underscores the BJP’s unwavering stance on the abrogation of Article 370, which the Modi government revoked in 2019.
Shah also tackled the issue of Muslim reservations in jobs and education, pointedly addressing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He remarked that “even if Gandhi’s fourth generation comes into power,” the BJP would not support reserving SC, ST, and OBC seats for Muslims, as it would reduce the existing quotas for these communities—a measure he firmly opposes.
The remarks came as part of the BJP’s campaign ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Shah criticized the opposition coalition, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), calling it an “Aurangzeb fan club” and accusing its leaders of compromising on core principles for political advantage. He expressed confidence in a decisive BJP-led alliance victory in the upcoming elections, projecting his party as the only one standing firm on issues of national unity and reservation policy.
