Amit Shah's Post-Retirement Plans: From Politics to Vedas and Natural Farming

At an event held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah gave a rare peek into what life after public service might look like for him, and it involves a shift from power corridors to farmlands and spiritual texts.

Shah says that once he retires from politics, he plans to dedicate himself to studying the Vedas and Upanishads and pursue natural farming full-time. The remark came during his interaction with women cooperative workers and activists from Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh, under the 'Sahkar Samvaad' initiative on Wednesday.

"I have decided that after retirement, I will dedicate the rest of my life to the Vedas, Upanishads, and natural farming," said Shah. While he did not delve into how this transition would take shape, he spoke at length about the harms of chemical farming and the benefits of going natural.

Drawing from personal experience, Shah claimed that crops grown without chemical fertilisers are not only healthier but also more productive. "I have been practising natural farming on my own farm, and the yields are nearly 1.5 times higher," he said, underscoring that natural food could help reduce reliance on medicines for conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and thyroid disorders.

Shah also expressed concern over what he called the long-term damage caused by synthetic fertilisers, including the death of earthworms, organisms he referred to as "nature's own fertiliser factories." He lamented that chemical overuse had damaged the land's natural ability to retain water. "With natural farming, rainwater doesn't run off the farm; it seeps in, because the soil structure improves," he said.

The BJP leader, often seen as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's closest political aide, holds multiple key portfolios, including the Ministry of Cooperation. He spoke emotionally about his attachment to this department, saying it gave him a sense of deep responsibility.

"When I became the Home Minister, people said I had got a very powerful position. But when I was appointed Cooperation Minister, I felt this was an even bigger responsibility, serving farmers, villages, and livestock."

The event also featured testimonials from women cooperative workers, many of whom shared how grassroots initiatives were improving livelihoods.

While it is unclear when Shah plans to hang up his political boots, the statement offered a rare, personal insight into how one of India's most influential politicians imagines his life beyond politics. And if his words are any indication, it is likely to be steeped in scripture, soil, and sustainability.