Sukma: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not want “power to go into the hands of the poor” and also targeted him for not visiting strife-torn Manipur.
Speaking at a rally in Sukma town of poll-bound Chhattisgarh, Kharge said the Congress, currently in power in the state, has always stood by tribals in their fight to protect their “jal-jungle-zameen” (water, forest and land).
The tribal-dominated and Naxalite-affected Sukma district has one assembly segment, Konta, which is among the 20 constituencies where polling will be held in the first phase of the assembly elections.
“When Modi ji laid the foundation stone for the new Parliament building, then President Ram Nath Kovind was not invited because he is ‘achhoot’ (untouchable), and current President Droupadi Murmu was not invited at Parliament’s inauguration because she is from a Scheduled Tribe. Only two people do such work, Modi and Shah,” Kharge said.
Presidents belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities were elected, but they did not get the chance to lay the foundation stone of any building, the Congress leader claimed.
“PM Modi does not want power to go into the hands of the poor,” he further said.
Targeting the BJP-led Union government, Kharge accused the BJP of selling public assets to “rich people like Adani”.
” We want to save things but the BJP wants to sell those things. They have been selling jal-jungle-zameen of tribals to big rich people like Adani….In the BJP government, rich people are becoming richer while the poor are becoming poorer. You will be surprised to know that 94 people hold 50 percent of assets of the country..” he added.
“We want to keep the rights of tribals over their land and forest intact,” the Congress leader said.
He also slammed BJP president J P Nadda for his remark that Chhattisgarh had been under ‘grahan’ (eclipse) for five years (during the Congress rule), and said it is the BJP that was under grahan’ for five years in Chhattisgarh. If the saffron party came to power in the state, “there will begrahan’ from morning till evening,” Kharge said.
He also slammed the BJP for questioning what the Congress did in 60 years, and claimed the saffron party does not do anything except for abusing the Congress.
Kawasi Lakhma, a state minister and Congress candidate from Konta, is seeking a sixth straight term from the seat.
Voting for the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly will be held in two phases. Polling in 20 seats will be held on November 7 and in the remaining 70 seats on November 17.
Speaking at another rally in Mahasamund city of the state later, Kharge said Modi does not allow the poor to come near him, and talks about them only to seek votes.
“Our leader Rahul Gandhi ji took out the Bharat Jodo Yatra to unite the country….Rahul ji met the poor, women, children and workers. Have you ever seen Modi meeting people…you have only seen his photo on Doordarshan. He doesn’t allow anyone to come near him. This is his gesture towards the poor. He wants to stay away from the poor but wants to get votes by talking about them.. Why does he lie?” the Congress leader said.
“Manipur has been burning but the PM did not go there to meet women and children. When women were raped there and houses burnt in Manipur, Modi did not take stock of the situation, but now he is visiting villages for votes (in poll-bound states). He will also come to your place for votes but will not go to Manipur to share the grief of the people there,” Kharge said.
“BJP asks what Congress has done….We fought for independence and protected democracy and the constitution. Modi Saheb, you are sitting as prime minister because democracy and constitution are still alive. Had Congress not been there, you would not have become prime minister,” he added.
He also took a swipe at the BJP saying ‘Baap kamaya, beta gamaya’ (whatever the father had earned, the son is squandering) and said, “We built airports and big industries but now they are selling them to industrialists like Adani.. those who sell public assets cannot think about the welfare of the people.”
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was present at both the rallies.
Mahasamund district has four assembly constituencies which will go to polls in the second phase.
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