Bharuch (Gujarat): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said people should not vote for “urban Naxals” and stressed that both the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party were "anti-tribals".

Speaking at a rally in Gujarat's Bharuch Lok Sabha constituency, where the AAP has allied with the Congress, he urged voters to support BJP's incumbent MP Mansukh Vasava.

Shah urged the people to vote for Manuskh Vasava, asserting that a leader like him is difficult to come by, and added that ‘some urban Naxal’ would take his place in case he lost the contest.

In Bharuch, part of South Gujarat, BJP's sitting MP Mansukh Vasava is in fielded against AAP's sitting MLA Chaitar Vasava. This constituency holds a considerable population of tribals.

The Congress and AAP have joined hands to exploit people, he said. “I have no qualms in stating that the Congress is anti-tribal, and AAP will manipulate tribals after securing their votes,” Shah remarked.

He accused the Congress and AAP of spreading rumours that the BJP would amend the Constitution and abolish reservations once it secures 400 Lok Sabha seats.

Shah added that the Congress, being the "expert," and the Arvind Kejriwal-led party, being the "chief," are skilful in peddling falsehoods.

He pointed out that two liars—AAP and Congress—have united under the INDIA bloc in Bharuch, and added that the Narendra Modi government has held power for a decade with a decisive majority and could have altered the Constitution if it wished to do so.

Modi guarantees that he will neither tamper with reservations for Adivasis, Dalits, or OBCs nor allow anyone else to do so, he assured the people.

Shah further alleged that the Congress and AAP are spreading falsehoods about the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC), claiming it would infringe upon the fundamental rights of tribals.

"I've reviewed the UCC bill, and it clearly states that it does not apply to tribals. They (Congress and AAP) are spreading falsehoods. I want to tell the numerous tribals here that Chaitar Vasava (AAP candidate) and his associates are spreading lies. Don't be misled by their words because Modi is a friend of Adivasis," the BJP stalwart said.

He pointed out that the number of Eklavya schools (residential schools for tribals) has increased from 90 under the Congress-led UPA regime to 740 now.

Further, a district mineral fund has been established with a corpus of Rs 75,000 crore to address the water, education, health, and nutritional needs of tribals, Shah noted.

Taking a dig at the Congress regarding the Ram Temple issue, the BJP leader said Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge were invited to the idol consecration of the Ram Temple on January 22, but they did not attend the event as they were more concerned about their vote bank.

Shah asked whether the people of Bharuch would support those who did not participate in the idol consecration of Lord Ram.