Why Amit Shah Called Mahatma Gandhi A 'Bahut Chatur Baniya'

Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah described Mahatma Gandhi as a "bahut chatur baniya" who could foresee the downfall of the Congress Party. Speaking in Raipur on Friday, Shah said that the Congress Party was nothing more than a "special purpose vehicle" used to win freedom from the British colonists, The Indian Expressreported.

"Congress kisi ek vichaar dhaara ke adhaar par, kisi ek siddhant ke adhaar par bani hui party hi nahi hai, woh azadi prapt karne ka ek special purpose vehicle hai, azadi prapt karne ka ek saadhan tha. Aur isi liye Mahatma Gandhi ne durandesi ke saath, bahut chatur baniya tha woh, usko maloom tha aage kya hone waala hai, usne azadi ke baad turant kaha tha, Congress ko bikher dena chahiye. Mahatma Gandhi ne nahi kiya, lekin ab kuch log usko bikherne ka kaam samapt kar rahe hain. Isliye hi kaha tha Mahatma Gandhi ne, kyunki Congress ki koi ideology hi nahi thi, siddhanto ke aadhar par bani hui party hi nahi thi. Desh chalaane ke, sarkar chalaane ke koi siddhant hi nahi the." - Amit Shah as quoted by The Indian Express.

(Congress is not a party based on one set of principles. It was a special purpose vehicle to achieve freedom. And that is why Mahatma Gandhi had foresight, he was a very clever baniya, he knew what would happen in the future. Immediately after independence, he said that Congress should be dissolved. Mahatma Gandhi did not do it but now some people are doing the work of ending the party. Mahatma Gandhi said this because the Congress has no ideology and no principles.")

Shah said that BJP had a clear approach, the newspaper reported. "Jo deshdrohi naare lagayega, woh deshdrohi kahlaya jayega," he said. (Those who raise unpatriotic slogans will be called a traitor).

Also on HuffPost India:

W