Maharashtra elections: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday criticised Congress over their alleged ill-treatment towards the backward classes, stating that ever since Independence, Congress never allowed Dalits, backward classes and Adivasis to progress. Addressing a gathering at Chimur in the Chandrapur district of Maharashtra, PM Modi announced financial aid for soybean farmers facing recent challenges.
Congress' 'shahi parivar' believes it was born to rule India: PM Modi
PM Modi, while targeting Congress, said that the party's "shahi parivar" (royal family) has always harbored the mentality that it was born to rule the country. "That is the reason that after Independence, the Congress never allowed Dalits, backward classes and Adivasis to progress,” Modi said, addressing a rally at Chimur in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district ahead of the November 20 state assembly elections.
PM Modi cited an old advertisement by Congress under Rajiv Gandhi’s leadership and said it reflected the party’s anti-reservation attitude. “The Congress gets annoyed with (the topic of) reservations. In the 1980s, when Rajiv Gandhi led the party, it published an advertisement raising questions over the special rights enjoyed by Dalits, backward classes and Adivasis,” PM Modi said.
On the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir, Modi said that it took seven decades to ensure that the country had one Constitution. “Will you allow the Congress and its allies to bring back Article 370 in Kashmir,” he asked.
PM Modi on BJP manifesto
Prime Minister Modi highlighted that the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) 'Sankalp Patra' (election manifesto) will serve as a guarantee for the development of Maharashtra. PM Modi highlighted that the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, along with the BJP-NDA coalition at the Centre, signifies a "double-raftaar" (double speed) of development.
Addressing a public meeting in Chimur, the Prime Minister said, "You have seen the double speed of development in the last 2.5 years. Maharashtra is the state with maximum foreign investment. There are new airports and expressways, one dozen Vande Bharat trains are running, and more than 100 railway stations are being transformed... The people of Chandrapur have been demanding rail connectivity for years, but Congress and Aghadi did not let that happen... The rapid development of Maharashtra is beyond the reach of Aghadi. They have done a PhD in braking development. And Congress is a double PhD in it. 'Aghadi yani Bhrastrachar ke sab se bade khiladi'... 'Aghadi yani khiladi'."
'Ek rahenge toh safe rahenge'
PM Modi once again echoed the slogan "Ek rahenge toh safe rahenge" at the Chimur rally. "... The tribal population in our country is around 10%. Congress wants to divide the Adivasi community into castes and weaken them... Congress wants you to fight internally and break your unity... If the Adivasi community gets divided into castes, it will end its identity and strength... The prince of Congress has announced this in a foreign country... We don't have to become a part of Congress conspiracy and we have to stay united... 'Ek rahenge toh safe rahenge'..."
PM Modi also said that the BJP-led government is giving financial assistance to soybean farmers.
Maharashtra elections
The Assembly polls in Maharashtra will be held in a single phase on November 20. The votes for the state will be counted on November 23. The opposition MVA coalition, comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (SCP), seeks to reclaim power in the state, challenging the Mahayuti alliance, which includes Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena 56, and the Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP secured 122 seats, the Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42.
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