The BJP on Monday hit back at Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, over his remark that Narendra Modi ‘cannot go anywhere’, saying that Rahul Gandhi’s statement showed he had accepted that the Prime Minister would remain in power.

The remarks came after LoP Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a gathering at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday, said, “PM Modi cannot go anywhere. Even if he wants to leave, we won’t let him. After Gyanesh Kumar, we will come after you, and legal action will follow.”

Speaking to media, BJP MP Damodar Agarwal said that the people of the country were concerned that, after repeated failures, “Rahul Baba” might flee to Italy out of fear of the law or the National Herald case.

“He is worried that he himself might have to flee, which is why he had the audacity to make such a statement about Prime Minister Modi. Modi was born and raised on this soil and is serving the country. He is determined to continue serving the nation until his last breath,” Agarwal said.

BJP National Spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said that Prime Minister Modi was not going anywhere and that Rahul Gandhi’s statement indicated that he had accepted this fact.

“PM Modi is not going anywhere. Rahul Gandhi says he won’t let him go, which means he has accepted that Modi will remain. What action will they take against a son of Mother India who is dedicated to serving the country, taking it on the path of progress and transforming India’s destiny and image?” Hussain said.

He further said that despite global tensions, India’s economy was performing well under PM Modi’s leadership.

“The whole world is facing conflicts. There is tension between Israel and Iran, and the Strait of Hormuz is closed. Despite all of this, the country’s economy is doing better under PM Modi’s leadership,” he added.

BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal said that the Opposition was dreaming of things that would never come true.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has won the Lok Sabha elections three consecutive times. Moreover, wherever Assembly elections are being held in the country, the Bharatiya Janata Party has registered unprecedented victories. This is the mandate of the people. The people have every right to decide whom they want to elect and whom they do not,” he said.

“If the people reject the Congress and Rahul Gandhi and consider him an unsuccessful leader, how is anyone else to blame for that?” Khandelwal added.

Meanwhile, over the last decade, Opposition jibes, particularly from the Congress, have inadvertently provided the BJP with some of its biggest and most successful slogans and campaigns. One such example was the ‘Main Bhi Chowkidar’ campaign in 2019, launched in response to LoP Gandhi’s ‘Chowkidar chor hai’ attack.

The grand old party appears to have done it again, handing the ruling party another potential war cry at a time when it is dealing with multiple issues in its third consecutive term in power.

PM Modi’s recent roadshow in Gujarat’s Banaskantha saw supporters waving posters carrying the message, ‘Modi kahin nahi jayega’, implying that he would continue to remain in power.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s reported remark, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega”, suggesting that the Prime Minister would eventually lose power, has also inadvertently provided the BJP with a fresh slogan.

It is not the first time that the BJP has turned Opposition criticism into a mass campaign. The party successfully embraced the “Chaiwala” remark during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and later launched the ‘Main Bhi Chowkidar’ campaign in 2019, with party leaders wearing the phrase as a badge of honour to directly connect with voters.

The campaign also helped the BJP shift public attention away from issues such as the economy, unemployment and inflation and refocus the political conversation on its most popular face — Prime Minister Modi.

A late-night encounter took place between the police and suspected criminals in Noida’s Sector 63 area on Sunday night, resulting in two accused sustaining bullet injuries and the arrest of two others.

Police recovered illegal firearms, live cartridges, knives, and two motorcycles allegedly used in robbery incidents from the accused.

According to the police, the four suspects were travelling on two motorcycles and were allegedly on their way to commit a crime when a police team conducting vehicle checks near the Sector 62 roundabout signalled them to stop.

DCP Praveen Ranjan Singh says, “In accordance with the directions of the Gautam Buddha Nagar authorities, tonight the Sector 63 police station team was conducting checking operations at the Sector 62 intersection. Four individuals riding on two motorcycles were spotted approaching. When the police attempted to stop them for checking, both motorcycle riders turned back and sped off…”

During the pursuit, the accused crossed the S-Block intersection and entered the green belt area. When police teams tried to intercept them, they reached the Bahalolpur underpass. Realising they were surrounded, the suspects allegedly opened fire on the police. The police retaliated in self-defence, during which two of the accused were shot in the legs and were overpowered.

Following the encounter, police launched a combing operation in the area and apprehended the remaining two suspects, identified as Shankar Sharma and Kapil Kashyap. With their arrest, all four accused involved in the incident were taken into custody.

Police seized two country-made pistols, cartridges and two knives from the accused. The two motorcycles allegedly used in criminal activities were also impounded.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused used to offer lifts to unsuspecting people on their motorcycles and subsequently rob them. Police said all four have extensive criminal records, and efforts are underway to gather details of their previous cases and other criminal activities.

DCP Singh said police teams have been carrying out continuous checking drives and action against criminals under directives issued by the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration.

The Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh has expressed concern over the impact of the INDIA Bloc’s rally held at Ramlila Maidan on November 1, saying the political event affected business activities, customers’ movement and the livelihoods of traders and workers in the national Capital, particularly ahead of the festive season.

In a statement titled, ‘What Did We Lose, What Did We Gain?’, the traders’ body said that while the rally may have provided political parties with an opportunity to express their views and demonstrate their strength, it left Delhi’s business community with several economic questions and concerns.

“November 1 may have been an opportunity for political parties to put forward their views and demonstrate their strength, but for Delhi’s business community, the day left behind several economic questions and concerns,” the Mahasangh said.

It pointed out that Delhi’s wholesale markets are not merely centres of local trade but also serve as an important foundation for the purchases, supply chains and livelihoods of millions of small traders across the country.

The organisation said that disruption to market activities, customer movement and the supply of goods just ahead of a major festive occasion like Diwali was a matter of concern.

Listing the losses suffered by the trading community, it said business activities and customer footfall were affected on Sunday.

Small traders arriving from other states also lost valuable time and purchasing opportunities.

It added that the daily earnings of shopkeepers, employees, labourers, transporters and families dependent on them were adversely affected.

The traders’ body further claimed that the normal commercial activities and business image of Delhi’s major markets had suffered a setback, while concerns had increased over the possibility of customers shifting towards online shopping and other commercial centres.

However, the Mahasangh also acknowledged certain positive aspects of the rally, saying it brought the problems and concerns of Delhi’s trading community onto a wider public platform.

It said the event once again highlighted the important role played by Delhi’s wholesale markets in the country’s economy and supply chain. It also underlined the need for better coordination between business interests, public convenience and traffic management while planning major events in the future.

“Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh (Regd.) respects democratic rights and peaceful protests. Every political party has the right to express its views, but equal responsibility towards trade, employment, ordinary citizens and the country’s economic activities is equally necessary,” the statement said.

“Political events last for a limited period, but the economic losses suffered by businesses and the impact on customers’ trust can be felt for a long time,” it added.

The organisation urged authorities and political parties to give priority to Delhi’s business calendar, festive season, market accessibility, supply of goods and public convenience while deciding the dates and venues of large-scale events.

“Politics has its place, and trade and employment have theirs. A balance between the two is the hallmark of a strong, responsible and healthy democratic system,” it said.