Amit Shah on his childhood nickname: 'I was called Poonam because...'

Union Home Minister Amit Shah addresses the Rising Bharat Summit on April 9

Union Home Minister Amit Shah shared his childhood nickname while addressing the News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025 on Wednesday.

"My bua (aunt) had decided I would get a proper name after I turned five. Because I was born on Sharad Purnima, everyone used to call me Poonam. This is no big mystery. It is a very common thing in villages with children," said the minister.

When asked if he had run away from home when he was 11 because his parents wanted to send him to the USA, Shah said there is no way would ever leave India. "I will fight here, live here," he said.

Key issues discussed

Speaking at Summit, Shah spoke on Modi government’s approach towards issues such as the Waqf Act, CAA, Naxalism, appeasement politics and more.

“Appeasement is a poisonous ideology. Those indulging in appeasement are against the nation," he said.

When asked which leader in the Congress was responsible for the Partition, Shah said, “It would be very difficult to single out a leader. Congress later made Jawaharlal Nehru the prime minister. Whoever takes the decision becomes the PM. Our topmost leader is Modi ji, so he became the PM. Congress made Nehru ji the PM then."

Slamming the Congress, he also said the grand old party brought changes to Waqf Bill to appease vote bank in 2013, months before the 2014 elections. He said only some leaders in the Muslim community are protesting against the new law, for which the Supreme Court will hear petitions challenging it on April 15.

He  hit out at Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for not addressing Parliament on Waqf Bill issue despite being given ample time to debate. “Why did Priyanka Gandhi not vote? Why did Rahul Gandhi not speak if this was such a big issue for them? Rahul Gandhi shouts from roof top that he is not allowed to speak…why did he not? He could have spoken the entire time allotted to his party," he said.

He also said that the successful  extradition of 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Rana "is a big success of Modi government's diplomatic strength".

"Whoever has even misbehaved with India's land, India's respect and India's citizens should be brought under the ambit of law in the country. And I believe Tahawwur Rana's extradition is a big success for the Modi government's diplomatic strength," he said.