Ahead of polling for the third phase of the Lok Sabha Elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday came down heavily upon the Congress and the erstwhile UPA government during a rally in Gujarat’s Sabarkantha. Taking on the grand old party on the issue of reservations, the Prime Minister challenged Congress to guarantee that it would never provide reservations on the basis of religion.
“I challenge them (Congress and INDIA bloc) to give in writing that they will never extend reservation on religious grounds, and that reservations for SC/STs and OBCs won’t be taken away. But they won’t accept this challenge as something fishy is going on,” he said.
The Prime Minister has claimed that the Congress, in its bid to provide reservation to Muslims, is looking to “snatch” reservations from Dalits, tribals and backward classes. “Till Modi is alive, no one will be allowed to indulge in the dirty game of giving out quotas based on religion,” Modi said.
Modi also sought to rubbish the Opposition’s allegations that the NDA government planned to end reservations and emphasised his government’s respect for constitutional provisions. “We are not born to commit such a sin,” he said.
Modi also criticised the Congress party for its historical approach to reservations, accusing them of endangering the Constitution by tampering with reservation structures for political gains. He cited instances in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka where the Congress allegedly manipulated reservation quotas.
Congress “Mohabbat ki Dukan ”
Modi also contrasted the NDA’s efforts with Congress’s record, particularly regarding Dalit and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) rights in Jammu and Kashmir. He highlighted his administration’s initiative in nullifying Article 370, thereby ensuring constitutional rights for the region’s residents.
He came down heavily on Congress’s “Mohabbat ki Dukan”, saying that the party’s slogans and promises were as fake as the videos it was sharing on social media. “Not just Congress’s videos, but their slogans, intentions and promises are all fake. The party that governed for 60 years, giving so many PMs, just can’t speak the truth now. Stop this game of fake videos. You can mislead people momentarily, but they will punish you heavily.”
While conducting a rally in Himmatnagar, Modi questioned INC’s inability to rule out anything in favour of Muslim women, who are worst hit by Congress politics according to him. He highlighted their failure to implement Supreme Court judgments such as in the Shah Bano case.
Modi also reiterated his government’s actions to empower marginalized communities, particularly Muslim women, through measures such as scrapping the triple talaq law. He expressed confidence in the electorate’s judgment, predicting a significant setback for the Congress in the upcoming elections, citing their failure to learn from past defeats.