The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is “hell-bent on changing the Constitution”, All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge has said.
He was addressing a campaign rally of the United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate for Mavelikara Lok Sabha constituency Kodikunnil Suresh at Chengannur on Tuesday.
Mr. Kharge said that right from the RSS chief to sitting MPs and BJP candidates were making statements that once the BJP got a two-thirds majority, they would change the Constitution, “That is why they are saying Abki Baar 400 Paar (this time, above 400 seats). But this time, the people of India will teach Narendra Modi a lesson,” the AICC president said.
On the Prime Minister’s statement that neither Modi nor BJP or even Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar could change the Constitution of India, Mr. Kharge challenged Mr. Modi to expel the BJP leaders who said they would change the Constitution.
“If he has any concern for the poor people of this country and wants to promote social justice and equity, he should expel all the BJP leaders who are saying they will change the Constitution. If Mr. Modi has the courage, he should take action,” Mr. Kharge said.
The AICC president called the Prime Minister a “liar”. “In the 2014 election, he promised to bring back black money and distribute ₹15 lakh to everyone. Did anyone receive the promised ₹15 lakh? He promised to create two crore jobs every year. Did Modi government produce 20 crore jobs in the last 10 years? Later he promised to double farmers’ income in the country. The Modi government failed to keep the promises it made to the people. While it failed to ensure development for all, it destroyed everything in the last 10 years,” the Mr. Kharge said.
He said that in the past year, Mr. Modi had travelled to 14 countries and attended hundreds of election meetings, but did not visit violence-hit Manipur even once.
Mr. Kharge criticised the Left Democratic Front government in the State. “Kerala was known for its development. Unfortunately, in the last eight years, the government ensured a debt-ridden economy without enough money even to provide salaries and pensions,” he said.
Terming the Lok Sabha elections very crucial for the future of the country and to save democracy and the Constitution, Mr. Kharge said that if elected to power, the INDIA bloc would undertake a nationwide caste-based census to understand the “day-to-day life” of the people and “not to divide society”.
“We will increase the reservation quota. We will constitute a ‘Diversity Commission’ that will measure, monitor and promote diversity in public and private employment as well as education,” he said.
