Taking a jibe at the opposition leaders who have gathered in Patna in a bid to forge unity against the Modi Government, Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday called their meeting a “photo session”.

Shah, who was addressing a public meeting here during his 2-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, said that despite such attempts of the opposition, Narendera Modi will once again become prime minister in 2024 by winning more than 300 seats in the Lok Sabha.

“Opposition is having a photo session in Patna. They can never come together to challenge Modi, people have made up their mind, they want Narendra Modi government to return to power in 2024 with more than 300 seats,” Shah said.

“The opposition leaders who have assembled in Patna say they will remove Modi. I want to tell them that they can shake hands but they lack unity and even if they come together, Modi will return to power,” he said.

Targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Shah said: “Rahul baba” has developed negativity in his mind and knows only to protest even against every step taken by the government for betterment of the people. He protested against the construction of the Ram Temple and Triple Talaq.”

People know that on one side it is “Rahul baba” and on the other side is Narendra Modi who has transformed the country in 9 years what the Congress failed to do in 70 years. The The prestige of India has also grown abroad, he said.

Emphasising that the BJP government needs to be re-elected in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Shah said that the Modi Government cannot be accused of a single corruption case whereas the Congress was involved in corruption of Rs 12 lakh crore. He also stated that the Modi Government was responsible for controlling terrorism in J&K.

Targeting J&K leaders Mehbooba Mufti and Farooq Abdullah, Shah said: “I want to ask Abdullah and Mufti, who is responsible for 42,000 deaths in incidents of terrorism? The BJP government has tightened the noose around terrorism in the Kashmir Valley where the terror strikes have considerably reduced.”

The Home Minister also asserted that Jammu and Kashmir has prospered on the path of development under the leadership of Modi. Enumerating the public welfare schemes launched by the Modi government in J&K, Shah said: “In Jammu and Kashmir every citizen is being given free health insurance of Rs 5 lakh. A new Kashmir is being built under the leadership of PM Modi.”

The first thing Shah did after landing here in the morning was to drive straight to the BJP office where he paid floral tributes at the bust of the party ideologue Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee who resigned from the Cabinet of Nehru while protesting against Article 370.

“Today is the martyrdom day of Dr Shyama Prasad Mookerjee. The whole country knows that it is because of him that Bengal is with India today. He opposed Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and died in the Srinagar jail where he was lodged while protesting against the permit system for entry into J&K,” he said.

Shah dedicated several projects worth crores of rupees for the people of Jammu. On his arrival here, Shah was received by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh and senior BJP leaders.

Accompanied by Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, IB chief and other officers, the Home Minister later flew to Srinagar where he will hold a high level meeting to review the security scenario in J&K and also for the upcoming Amarnath pilgrimage in Kashmir.