Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday extended birthday greetings to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, praising his efforts to strengthen India’s internal security, combat Maoism and tackle the drug menace.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Warm birthday greetings to Home Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji. His administrative understanding has ensured India’s internal security systems become more effective.”
“Particularly noteworthy are the successes in eliminating the menace of Maoism and in furthering our dream of a society free from drugs,” he said.
“I pray that he is blessed with a long and healthy life in service of the people,” the Prime Minister added.
Born in Mumbai in 1964 to Gujarati parents, Shah is regarded as one of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) key strategists and a close confidant of Prime Minister Modi.
His political career has been marked by several major developments, including the abrogation of Article 370, internal security reforms and initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperative federalism.
HM Shah began his association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at the age of 16 and later became involved with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student organisation affiliated with the RSS.
In 1989, he received his first major organisational responsibility when he was appointed secretary of the BJP’s Ahmedabad unit.
He contested his first Gujarat Assembly election in 1997 from the Sarkhej constituency and subsequently represented Sarkhej and Naranpura in the state Assembly until 2017. He was inducted into the Gujarat Cabinet as a minister in 2002.
HM Shah was appointed BJP national president in 2014, playing a key role in the party’s organisational expansion.
Currently a Lok Sabha MP from Gujarat’s Gandhinagar constituency, HM Shah has served as Union Home Minister since May 2019. He is the country’s longest-serving Home Minister and has also held the Cooperation portfolio since the ministry was established in July 2021.
(IANS Inputs)
