‘NDA Needs Over 400 Seats...’: Himanta Biswa On UCC, Krishna Janmasthan Temple

New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that the BJP-led NDA needs to secure victory on over 400 seats in Lok Sabha elections to implement a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and build a temple on Krishna Janmasthan in Mathura. Sarma was addressing a campaign rally for BJP leader Giriraj Singh in Bihar's Begusarai. He also criticised the INDIA-block for spreading doubt on the status of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). 

He said, "The NDA under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has to win 400 plus seats to implement the UCC in the country, for the construction a grand temple at Krishna Janmasthan in Mathura and also to ensure PoK, which is a part of India, returns to India," reported PTI. 

Sarma drew a comparison of his government in Assam, he said, "I have made it quite clear that Muslims must reject child marriage and polygamy and accept women's education. In Assam, being married twice or three times is forbidden. It's very simple…they (Muslims) cannot have three wives.” He remarked that action has been taken against 6,000 people who belong to a particular community, who indulged in child marriage. 

Sarma slammed the Congress government of giving religion-based reservation and alleged that the party is doing appeasement politics. "They (INDIA alliance leaders) are indulging in politics of appeasement and raise issues that support Pakistan,” he added. 

Responding to the ‘Atomic bomb’ remarks of Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, he said, “Even if Pakistan has a nuclear bomb, I am confident that it must have passed its expiry date.” 

Sarma said that the people need to give a third term to PM Modi to ensure that the PoK comes back to India. "Our government at the Centre has made it clear that PoK belongs to India and no force can snatch it,” he added. Sarma also advocated the abrogation of article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. 

Union Minister Giriraj Singh is vying for another term as the NDA candidate from the Begusarai Lok Sabha constituency. He faces competition from Awadhesh Rai, the Communist Party of India (CPI) candidate and nominee of the Mahagathbandhan coalition.  

The fourth phase of elections on May 13 will decide the outcome in constituencies including Begusarai, Darbhanga, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, and Munger in Bihar.