Palamu, Nov 11, 2024
In a fiery election speech in Jharkhand’s Chhatarpur Assembly constituency, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Addressing the rally, Kharge accused the BJP leadership of hypocrisy, playing divisive politics, and betraying the trust of the people.
Kharge began by questioning the sincerity of PM Modi’s claim of being a champion for backward communities. “PM Modi calls himself a son of backward classes, but his actions show that he supports the powerful who oppress the marginalised. He is aligned with those who crush the rights of the backward,” Kharge asserted.
Turning his attention to Yogi Adityanath, Kharge hit out at the UP Chief Minister for allegedly inciting violence. “He dresses like a sadhu (saint), but his words — ‘batenge to katenge’ (if we remain divided, we will perish) — are not those of a saint but of a terrorist. A true sadhu is compassionate, not the one who divides,” Kharge said.
He continued, “Did Yogi don saffron robes just to lie like PM Modi? Saffron symbolises peace and compassion, yet he demolishes people’s homes with bulldozers.”
Kharge invoked the memory of Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated by a human bomb, to emphasise the theme of compassion. “When Rajiv Gandhi’s body was blown to pieces, Sonia Gandhi still forgave those responsible. That is true compassion, something these so-called leaders will not know about,” he stated.
The Congress President went on to accuse the BJP of stoking religious divisions. “They try to divide us along Hindu-Muslim lines, while ironically claiming that it is the other parties that are dividing the nation. BJP’s tactics revolve around scaring the public rather than delivering development,” he alleged.
Kharge also took aim at the BJP’s alleged misuse of central agencies. “PM Modi and his allies are using the ED and Income Tax raids to intimidate our people during elections. Even the Assam Chief Minister threatened our workers in Jharkhand. But let me be clear — we are not afraid at all. If our ancestors were not afraid of the British, why should we fear them? Our motto is simple: ‘If we fear, we perish; hence, we will not fear.’”
Accusing PM Modi and Amit Shah of fear-mongering, Kharge said, “PM Modi has given Amit Shah the power to intimidate, even handing him the Ministry of Cooperation. Is there no one else capable in their party?”
Kharge mocked PM Modi’s self-proclaimed divine power. “Modi ji says God sent him to serve people, claiming he did not come from his mother’s womb but from above. He may have moved from Gujarat to become an MP in Varanasi, but people have started rejecting his principles. His vote share is dropping because people are now seeing through his lies.”
Reminding people of PM Modi’s past unfulfilled promises, Kharge said, “He promised to bring back black money and deposit Rs 15 lakh in every person’s account. That was a blatant lie. He promised two crore jobs every year — another lie. Even his pledge to double farmers’ incomes turned out to be false.
He talked about protecting daughters, but incidents of rape are rampant in Manipur. Rahul Gandhi visited Manipur, but PM Modi lacked the courage to go there because he knows his lies have been exposed. His reputation is sinking like a stone in water.”
Accusing the BJP of being anti-reservation, Kharge pointed out, “The Jharkhand Assembly passed a proposal to increase reservations for backward classes, SCs, and STs, but it is stuck with the governor appointed by PM Modi. They don’t want the welfare of Dalits, tribals, and backward communities.”
Kharge concluded his address with a poetic jab at PM Modi: “I have heard that the sea has grown arrogant; take the boat to where the storm has risen.”(Agency)
