AHMEDABAD: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday recalled the 2010 incident when he was arrested by the probe agency in Sohrabuddin Sheikh's alleged fake encounter case and said, “Congress sent me to jail in a CBI case. For me, it was naturally a difficult period.”
Shah attended a programme organised to commemorate late Gujarat minister Divyakant Nanavati in Junagadh, on a two-day visit to Gujarat.
Recalling his days from 2010, he said, “Congress sent me to jail in a CBI case. It was naturally a difficult period. I was a minister of jail five minutes before I was put into one. God would never have given such a great fortune to bring any man down to earth,” Shah said, recalling the incident when he was arrested by the probe agency.
Shah lauded Nanavati for his contribution to Junagadh as a councillor and president of the local civic body in the 1950s, and also as an elected member of the legislative assembly from Junagadh twice – first in 1962 and then in 1972. Late Nanavati was a Congress MLA, who went on to become cabinet minister of law, municipalities, town planning, and urban development in the Chimanbhai Patel-led government.
Shah also mentioned his son and senior high court lawyer, advocate Nirupam Nanavaty, who also served as Shah’s lawyer, when he was jailed. He said that the high court lawyer Nanavaty, despite his association with the Congress, stood by his side and helped him win the case.
Shah made an announcement while attending the Matikala Mohotsav organized by Khadi India. “We are attempting to type up clay axes with railways; if this is successful, a large number of clay axes will be required in railways, and they will reach from your (clay work artisans) electrical chalk axes.” In a relief for agarbatti artisans, he said Khadi Gram Udyog Board will purchase all the agarbattis.”