Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said Bangladeshi migrants seeking birth certificates illegally in the state to obtain voting rights was 'vote jihad part 2'.
During the November 2024 Assembly election campaign, Fadnavis had referred to instances of a community voting collectively against the BJP in the earlier Lok Sabha elections and labeled this trend as 'vote jihad.'
Speaking at the state BJP's convention in Shirdi, Ahilyanagar, Fadnavis stated, “Bangladeshi infiltrators are seeking birth certificates in Maharashtra as part of vote jihad part 2. Nearly 100 such cases have been reported in Amravati and Malegaon tehsil in Nashik. Many of these individuals, aged around 50, are obtaining documents through illegal means.”
He assured the public that strict action would be taken, asserting, “Not a single infiltrator will be allowed to stay in Maharashtra.”
Fadnavis reaffirmed his government’s commitment to combating forces attempting to create caste-based and communal divisions in the state. He urged people to stay vigilant and strengthen the collective resolve to maintain unity and harmony.
Reflecting on the BJP's massive victory in the Assembly polls in November, Fadnavis credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for guiding the party and instilling confidence among workers following setbacks in the Lok Sabha elections earlier in 2024.
Narrating an anecdote from the Mahabharata about who ensured the victory of the Pandavas over the Kauravas, Fadnavis said the party workers were 'Keshav' and Modi was 'Madhav', both names of Lord Krishna, in the stupendous victory of the BJP in the assembly polls.
Cautioning against complacency after the assembly poll results, Fadnavis said workers must continue to put in concerted efforts for public welfare.
Pointing towards the local body polls expected to take place across the state in the next few months, he said, "We must remain ready and united. The PM's mantra of 'ek hain to safe hain' (unity ensures safety) must guide us," he told the gathering.
Inputs from news agency PTI
