Bhadrak (Odisha) May 29: Launching a scathing attack on the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday asserted that if the saffron party returns to power, both democracy and the Constitution will be jeopardised.
Speaking at election rallies in Odisha’s Balasore and Bhadrak parliamentary constituencies, Kharge emphasised, “In this election, if you don’t defeat the BJP, then both our Constitution and democracy will be at risk, along with your future.”
He also highlighted concerns about the country’s reservation policy for SC, ST, and OBCs being endangered if the BJP assumes power.
Kharge further criticised the current government, stating, “Under the present rule, youth are suffering the most. Unemployment rates are high, and there is a crisis across the nation. However, Modiji seems indifferent to these issues. His sole focus is on retaining power.”
Kharge said nearly 30 lakh central government and over 1.60 lakh Odisha government posts are currently vacant.
Questioning Modi’s unfulfilled promises, Kharge remarked, “Modi had pledged to deposit Rs 15 lakh in the bank accounts of every person by bringing back black money, doubling farmers’ income, and providing two crore employment opportunities to youth each year. Where are these promises?”
The Congress president also expressed dismay over the handling of issues such as the unrest in Manipur, accusing Modi of neglecting the situation and prioritising his political interests instead.
Hitting out at the BJP leaders for accusing that Congress leaders of being scared of Pakistan, Kharge said, “It was the Congress and its leader Indira Gandhi who divided Pakistan into two parts and gave freedom to Bangladesh by putting one lakh people into jail. We are not scared of any one and if someone tries to scare us, we never bow.”
“The BJP and RSS people are scared of the British. It was the Congress which gave freedom to India. Thousands of Congress workers sacrificed their lives in the freedom struggle,” he said.
