If speaking on Article 370, UCC, opposing Muslim quota is religion-based campaign, BJP will do it: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has slammed the INDIA bloc's criticism of the Election Commission as a ploy to cover up for its impending loss in the Lok Sabha polls, asserting that the BJP will score a bigger win in opposition-ruled states due to a "positive mandate" for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In an interview Shah claimed that his party has not resorted to any religion-based campaign but insisted that if canvassing against reservation for Muslims, and reaching out to voters on the abolition of Article 370 and implementing a Uniform Civil Code is religion-based campaign, then the BJP has done it and will continue doing so.

He dismissed the opposition's criticism of the Election Commission for its handling of poll data and the issue of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), saying that similar protocols and practices have been followed in previous assembly polls, including Telangana, West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh where the BJP lost.

"If those elections were fair, then this election is also fair. When you see defeat, you start crying in advance and try to find excuses to go abroad. This can't go on and on. They want to go on vacation on June 6. So, they are telling something or the other," he said.