Right to expression should not be used as an excuse to criticise the country, Amit Shah, the chief of India&#39;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said at the India Ideas conclave in Goa today.&nbsp;

In an indirect swipe at the main opposition party, Congress, Shah said that &quot;criticising politicians, the Prime Minister and political parties is part of the democratic tradition, but should not be confused with national pride and honour of the country&quot;. &nbsp;

He said that being critical of the country in the name of freedom of expression is unacceptable. &quot;National pride is integral to the democratic process in India and it must be respected.&quot;

Discussing the nation&#39;s development and political dissent under the larger rubric of &#39;India at 70&#39;, Shah claimed that those who came to power after the birth of the nation &quot;took little pride in their heritage&quot; and the aim of equal engagement was soon replaced with the &quot;politics of appeasement&quot;.&nbsp;

Despite developing over the years, India has not been able to remove the shackles of dynastic politics, he said. &quot;Barring a couple of parties, inner-party democracy is absent from Indian politics and political families run them like personal empires.&quot;

Shah admitted that some good work was done in the past 70 years, but said it did not match up with the potential. &quot;Our leaders failed to resurrect the real identity of India.&quot;

He said that a focus on &quot;unity in diversity&quot; instead of &quot;national integration&quot; had a very different outcome than that planned.&nbsp;

Highlighting the work done by the Narendra Modi government, Shah said that the government&#39;s defence and foreign affairs policies have aligned for the first time and that had not been the case under the Congress-led government.

(WION)&nbsp; 
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Amit Shah's remarks come against the backdrop of criticism of the government by the Opposition

Right to expression should not be used as an excuse to criticise the country, Amit Shah, the chief of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said at the India Ideas conclave in Goa today. In an indirect swipe at the main opposition party, Congress, Shah said that "criticising politicians, the Prime Minister and political parties is part of the democratic tradition, but should not be confused with national pride and honour of the country". He said that being critical of the country in the name of freedom of expression is unacceptable. "National pride is integral to the democratic process in India and it must be respected." Discussing the nation's development and political dissent under the larger rubric of 'India at 70', Shah claimed that those who came to power after the birth of the nation "took little pride in their heritage" and the aim of equal engagement was soon replaced with the "politics of appeasement". Despite developing over the years, India has not been able to remove the shackles of dynastic politics, he said. "Barring a couple of parties, inner-party democracy is absent from Indian politics and political families run them like personal empires." Shah admitted that some good work was done in the past 70 years, but said it did not match up with the potential. "Our leaders failed to resurrect the real identity of India." He said that a focus on "unity in diversity" instead of "national integration" had a very different outcome than that planned. Highlighting the work done by the Narendra Modi government, Shah said that the government's defence and foreign affairs policies have aligned for the first time and that had not been the case under the Congress-led government. (WION)

Accept criticism against government, not country: India's ruling party chief

There was massive chaos at a programme attended by India&#39;s ruling party BJP President Amit Shah in Surat, Gujarat, on Thursday. 
 
Supporters of&nbsp;Hardik Patel, the face of Patidar reservation protests, damaged&nbsp;furniture and booed&nbsp;speakers including the BJP president. They also repeatedly chanted Patel&#39;s name to demonstrate their support for him. 
 
Chaos prevailed outside the venue as well as in Mota Varraccha area&nbsp;where Patidar community members from the locality hurled stones at the police. 
 
?The function was wound up hastily within minutes, with Patel leaders cutting short their speeches while Shah spoke only for four minutes amid&nbsp;sloganeering. 
 
The event was organised by prominent Patel businessmen in Surat to felicitate BJP leaders of their community in the presence of party chief Amit Shah. 
 
BJP, which is struggling hard to regain the support of numerically strong Patidars in Gujarat after the community led by Patel launched the quota agitation, made this event a prestige issue. 
 
City-based prominent businessmen formed a group called &#39;Patidar Abhivadan Samiti&#39;&nbsp;to honour new state BJP chief Jitu Vaghani, Gujarat&#39;s deputy chief minister Nitin Patel and senior&nbsp;ministers of Patel community. 
 
&quot;This felicitation of Patidar leaders is for the community, is for the state and is for the nation,&quot; said full page advertisements given in vernacular newspapers across the state by the organisation.&nbsp; 
 
The Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) had earlier made its intention clear that it is going to oppose the felicitation programme. But few would have guessed that things would go out of control there. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

Amit Shah's speech was curtailed amid vociferous sloganeering by supporters of Hardik Patel, the leader of a reservation agitation in India

There was massive chaos at a programme attended by India's ruling party BJP President Amit Shah in Surat, Gujarat, on Thursday. Supporters of Hardik Patel, the face of Patidar reservation protests, damaged furniture and booed speakers including the BJP president. They also repeatedly chanted Patel's name to demonstrate their support for him. Chaos prevailed outside the venue as well as in Mota Varraccha area where Patidar community members from the locality hurled stones at the police. ?The function was wound up hastily within minutes, with Patel leaders cutting short their speeches while Shah spoke only for four minutes amid sloganeering. The event was organised by prominent Patel businessmen in Surat to felicitate BJP leaders of their community in the presence of party chief Amit Shah. BJP, which is struggling hard to regain the support of numerically strong Patidars in Gujarat after the community led by Patel launched the quota agitation, made this event a prestige issue. City-based prominent businessmen formed a group called 'Patidar Abhivadan Samiti' to honour new state BJP chief Jitu Vaghani, Gujarat's deputy chief minister Nitin Patel and senior ministers of Patel community. "This felicitation of Patidar leaders is for the community, is for the state and is for the nation," said full page advertisements given in vernacular newspapers across the state by the organisation. The Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) had earlier made its intention clear that it is going to oppose the felicitation programme. But few would have guessed that things would go out of control there. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Vandalism, boos mar event attended by India's ruling party president

India&#39;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah set the election tone in northern state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) as he accused the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) of favouring only few sections of the society.&nbsp; 
 
He said the saffron party (BJP) believes in &#39;Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas&#39; (development for all).&nbsp; 
 
Addressing a public rally at UP&#39;s Kakori, Shah also attempted to corner the grand old party Congress and said the nation is lagging behind on the developmental path as one family governed India for 60 years since independence. 
 
&quot;Without Uttar Pradesh&#39;s development, the country&#39;s development is not possible. If the Samajwadi Party or the Bahujan Samaj Party comes to power.can Uttar Pradesh develop? Will you get 24 hours electricity? Will cases like Bulandshahr gangrape case stop? If the Samajwadi Party or Bahujan Samaj Party come to power in Uttar Pradesh, they will work only for a particular community, but the Bharatiya Janata Party believes in &#39;Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas&#39;,&quot; he added. 
 
The BJP chief&#39;s assertion assumes significance as the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh is scheduled to take place next year. All four major parties -- BJP, SP, BSP and Congress -- are eyeing the polls in the state that has an estimated population of around 200 million. The state has 80 parliamentary constituencies, which makes it one of the most politically important state in the country.&nbsp; 
 
Shah arrived here earlier in the day to lead the &#39;Tiranga Yatra&#39; organised by the BJP to pay homage to India&#39;s freedom fighters on Independence Day. 
 
The &#39;Tiranga Yatra&#39; is a part of the Independence Day celebrations, the plans for which were discussed during a party meet held with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union minister M Venkaiah Naidu. 
 
The BJP members of parliament (MP) will carry out the Yatra for a week between August 15 and August 22 and spread the message of harmony to commemorate the 70th anniversary of India`s independence. 
 
The Prime Minister has also asked the BJP MPs to highlight the contributions of freedom fighters and martyrs among school children.&nbsp; 
 
(ANI)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

The BJP chief's assertion assumes significance in Uttar Pradesh, set to undergo polls next year, as it has 80 parliamentary constituencies

India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah set the election tone in northern state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) as he accused the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) of favouring only few sections of the society. He said the saffron party (BJP) believes in 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' (development for all). Addressing a public rally at UP's Kakori, Shah also attempted to corner the grand old party Congress and said the nation is lagging behind on the developmental path as one family governed India for 60 years since independence. "Without Uttar Pradesh's development, the country's development is not possible. If the Samajwadi Party or the Bahujan Samaj Party comes to power.can Uttar Pradesh develop? Will you get 24 hours electricity? Will cases like Bulandshahr gangrape case stop? If the Samajwadi Party or Bahujan Samaj Party come to power in Uttar Pradesh, they will work only for a particular community, but the Bharatiya Janata Party believes in 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas'," he added. The BJP chief's assertion assumes significance as the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh is scheduled to take place next year. All four major parties -- BJP, SP, BSP and Congress -- are eyeing the polls in the state that has an estimated population of around 200 million. The state has 80 parliamentary constituencies, which makes it one of the most politically important state in the country. Shah arrived here earlier in the day to lead the 'Tiranga Yatra' organised by the BJP to pay homage to India's freedom fighters on Independence Day. The 'Tiranga Yatra' is a part of the Independence Day celebrations, the plans for which were discussed during a party meet held with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union minister M Venkaiah Naidu. The BJP members of parliament (MP) will carry out the Yatra for a week between August 15 and August 22 and spread the message of harmony to commemorate the 70th anniversary of India`s independence. The Prime Minister has also asked the BJP MPs to highlight the contributions of freedom fighters and martyrs among school children. (ANI)

India's ruling party chief Amit Shah sounds poll bugle in 'politically important' Uttar Pradesh?

Vijay Rupani was elected today as the new chief minister of western Indian state of Guajrat after senior members of India&#39;s ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), including state lawmakers, met national president Amit Shah here.&nbsp; 
 
Rupani has been elected two days after Anandiben Patel stepped down as the chief minister, citing her age as the cause of the resignation. 
 
Nitin Patel, who was speculated to be elected as chief minister, will serve as deputy chief minister of the state. 
 
It&#39;s pertinent to mention Rupani was in charge of &nbsp;transport, water supply, labor and employment in Anandiben&#39;s cabinet.
<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Vijay Rupani to be the next Chief Minister of Gujarat. Nitin Patel to be the Deputy CM, announces Nitin Gadkari. <a href="https://t.co/Dk95cDhmtU">pic.twitter.com/Dk95cDhmtU</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/761541731850588160">August 5, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Vijay Rupani &amp; Nitin Patel being felicitated by Nitin Gadkari, Amit Shah &amp; Anandiben Patel in Gandhinagar (Gujarat) <a href="https://t.co/F1JZJMNgdn">pic.twitter.com/F1JZJMNgdn</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/761542422207791104">August 5, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>
 
(ANI)

Rupani was elected today after former chief minister Anandiben Patel stepped down, citing her age as cause of resignation

Vijay Rupani was elected today as the new chief minister of western Indian state of Guajrat after senior members of India's ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), including state lawmakers, met national president Amit Shah here. Rupani has been elected two days after Anandiben Patel stepped down as the chief minister, citing her age as the cause of the resignation. Nitin Patel, who was speculated to be elected as chief minister, will serve as deputy chief minister of the state. It's pertinent to mention Rupani was in charge of transport, water supply, labor and employment in Anandiben's cabinet. Vijay Rupani to be the next Chief Minister of Gujarat. Nitin Patel to be the Deputy CM, announces Nitin Gadkari. pic.twitter.com/Dk95cDhmtU — ANI (@ANI_news) August 5, 2016 Vijay Rupani & Nitin Patel being felicitated by Nitin Gadkari, Amit Shah & Anandiben Patel in Gandhinagar (Gujarat) pic.twitter.com/F1JZJMNgdn — ANI (@ANI_news) August 5, 2016 (ANI)

Vijay Rupani takes over as Indian state Gujarat's chief minister

Amid speculations that the chief of India&#39;s ruling party, Amit Shah may be asked to take over the reins in India&#39;s western Gujarat state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) central leadership today made it clear that a member of legislative assembly (MLA) would be assigned job, adding two observers are being sent to the state to hold talks with the legislators. 
 
The BJP central leadership during a parliamentary party meeting decided to send senior leaders - Nitin Gadkari and Saroj Pandey - as observers to the state. 
 
Talking to the media after the meeting, union minister M Venkaiah Naidu said a meeting of the Gujarat legislators would be called in which a decision regarding the new chief ministerial candidate would be taken. 
 
&quot;Central leadership Nitin Gadkari and Saroj Pandey will attend the meeting. They will hold talks with the MLAs and others there and together they will decide the chief minister,&quot; he said. 
 
Naidu also made it clear that there was no question of appointing the BJP president as the Gujarat chief minister. 
 
&quot;Amit Shah will be part of the meeting and will consult everyone about selecting the (next) leader.&nbsp;There is no question of Amit Shah, he is the national president,&quot; he said. 
 
The union minister praised Anandiben Patel for her decision to step down as the Gujarat chief minister citing age. 
 
Stating this decision would send a good message to the party workers, Naidu also informed that Anandiben would today submit her resignation to the governor of the state.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The parliamentary board has accepted her wish after discussion. The parliamentary board has praised her for her leadership over all these years in different posts,&quot; he said. 
 
(ANI)&nbsp;

A meeting of legislators would be called in western state of Gujarat to identify Anandiben's successor, said union minister M Venkaih Naidu

Amid speculations that the chief of India's ruling party, Amit Shah may be asked to take over the reins in India's western Gujarat state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) central leadership today made it clear that a member of legislative assembly (MLA) would be assigned job, adding two observers are being sent to the state to hold talks with the legislators. The BJP central leadership during a parliamentary party meeting decided to send senior leaders - Nitin Gadkari and Saroj Pandey - as observers to the state. Talking to the media after the meeting, union minister M Venkaiah Naidu said a meeting of the Gujarat legislators would be called in which a decision regarding the new chief ministerial candidate would be taken. "Central leadership Nitin Gadkari and Saroj Pandey will attend the meeting. They will hold talks with the MLAs and others there and together they will decide the chief minister," he said. Naidu also made it clear that there was no question of appointing the BJP president as the Gujarat chief minister. "Amit Shah will be part of the meeting and will consult everyone about selecting the (next) leader. There is no question of Amit Shah, he is the national president," he said. The union minister praised Anandiben Patel for her decision to step down as the Gujarat chief minister citing age. Stating this decision would send a good message to the party workers, Naidu also informed that Anandiben would today submit her resignation to the governor of the state. "The parliamentary board has accepted her wish after discussion. The parliamentary board has praised her for her leadership over all these years in different posts," he said. (ANI)

'National president' Amit Shah not in Gujarat CM race, clarifies India's ruling party

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Accept criticism against government, not country: India's ruling party chief

Vandalism, boos mar event attended by India's ruling party president

India's ruling party chief Amit Shah sounds poll bugle in 'politically important' Uttar Pradesh?

Vijay Rupani takes over as Indian state Gujarat's chief minister

'National president' Amit Shah not in Gujarat CM race, clarifies India's ruling party