NEW DELHI, Dec. 5 -- Union Home Minister Amit Shah openly acknowledged the role of the BJP in 2002 communal riots in Gujarat that resulted in the killing of more than 2000 Muslims and more than one lakh Muslims becoming homeless. Amit Shah considers it as a great achievement of the BJP and he has appealed to people of Gujarat to vote for the BJP for this achievement.

Addressing a rally in Mahudha town of Kheda district in support of BJP candidates ahead of the next month's Assembly elections, Amit Shah alleged, "During the Congress rule in Gujarat (before 1995), communal riots were rampant. In 2002, they tried to indulge in communal violence... we taught them such a lesson, we put them in jail. It's been 22 years; we have not put a curfe...