In city of RSS HQ, Congress sounds poll bugle with economic and social justice pitch

Nagpur has two ideologies, one of Dr BR Ambedkar, which is progressive and the other of the RSS which is “destroying the nation”, Kharge said. Notably, the city is home to Deekshabhoomi where Ambedkar converted to Buddhism along with his followers.

Senior party leader Sonia Gandhi and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra did not attend the rally.

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‘Objective is to hand over power to common man’

“The foundation of the battle for political power is ideology and the Congress’s objective is to hand over power to the common man,” Rahul Gandhi said.

The BJP government has pushed a large number of people back into poverty, he claimed.

“We do not want two Indias. Only the INDIA alliance can provide employment to the youth,” Gandhi said.

He reiterated that after coming to power at the Centre, the INDIA alliance’s government will conduct a caste survey.

“How many youths have been given employment in the last ten years by the Modi government? Unemployment is at an all-time high now,” the Congress leader said.

OBCs, Dalits, and tribals do not have representation commensurate with their population in various sectors, Gandhi claimed.

Questions PM’s OBC credential

“Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would describe himself as an OBC. But after my demand (of caste census), he says there is only one caste, the poor. If there is only one caste, why do you say you are an OBC,” the Congress leader asked.

Orders come from the top in the BJP while in Congress even an ordinary worker can question the leadership, Gandhi said.

“The country’s reins should be in the hands of the common man. Princely states had a partnership with the British. The common man was fighting both the British and the princely states,” he said.

The Green Revolution, White Revolution, and Information Technology revolution were ushered in by farmers, women and the youth, respectively, while the Congress governments laid down the vision for these revolutions, Gandhi said.

He also accused the BJP of capturing all democratic institutions.

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‘RSS is destroying the country’

Speaking in Marathi, Congress chief Kharge said that Nagpur is the land of revolutionaries where Babasaheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi worked extensively.

“If the BJP and RSS came to power again, democracy would be finished. There are two ideologies in Nagpur, one is the progressive one which belongs to Ambedkar, and other is that of the RSS which is destroying the country,” the veteran leader said.

Prime Minister Modi was against social justice and equality, Kharge alleged.

“Democracy is under threat. Inflation has skyrocketed, and unemployment is also high. There are 30 lakh vacancies which are not being filled up because Backward Classes would have to be accommodated,” he said.

The poor are becoming more poor while the rich are becoming richer under the Modi government, Kharge said.

“If the INDIA alliance is voted to power, the NYAY scheme will be implemented for the empowerment of the poor including women,” he said, referring to the scheme promised by the Congress before the 2019 elections where the poor households were to get ₹6,000 per month.

‘Prime Minister does not respect Parliament’

Prime Minister Modi does not visit Manipur where atrocities took place on women but he goes to Surat to inaugurate a diamond bourse building, the Congress president said.

He also alleged that the prime minister does not respect Parliament as he does not attend its proceedings. “To protect one BJP MP who signed the documents to allow the intruders who jumped into the Lok Sabha well, 146 MPs (of the Opposition) have been suspended,” Kharge said, referring to the security breach at Parliament earlier this month.

The BJP was trying to divide the INDIA grouping “because if we unite, the BJP will be nowhere,” he said.

The BJP government did not fulfil its promises of creating two crore jobs every year and giving ₹15 lakh to each citizen, Kharge said.

“Support INDIA alliance to save democracy and the country. Now, leaving aside all important issues facing the country, the BJP will highlight God,” he said referring to the Ram temple inauguration at Ayodhya scheduled for the next month.

The victories of the Congress in Karnataka and Telangana assembly elections were morale-boosters and there was no need to get disheartened by the recent defeats in other states, he said.

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‘Maharashtra will choose a Congress government

Speaking during the meeting, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar exuded confidence in forming a Congress government in Maharashtra.

“After the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi, two states (Karnataka and Telangana) of the South chose the Congress. Witnessing you all (people), I’m sure Maharashtra will choose a Congress government,” said Revanth Reddy.

He also said the next 100 days are crucial for the party and the country. Lok Sabha polls are to be held sometime in the first half of 2024.

“Inform your family members that you are taking leave and working for the party so that a Congress-led government can be formed at the Centre,” Reddy said.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Telangana Chief Minister said, “Every medicine has an expiry date. Similarly, Narendra Modi’s medicine will not work in the country anymore.”

What the ruling BJP calls a “double engine government” is actually “Adani-Pradani (play on the word pradhan and adani to describe the Prime Minister)”, he claimed.

“One day, Rahulji (Congress leader Rahul Gandhi) spoke about (industrialist Gautam) Adani in the Lok Sabha and the Adani engine developed a problem and had to be taken to the shed (workshop). Same will be the future of Pradani as well,” he alleged.

Both leaders also urged the people to vote for the Congress in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

(With PTI inputs)