Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Stating that the Bharatiya Janata Party has “not just today but never” acted against minorities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined that he is not ready to accept anyone as “special citizens”. In an interview, he said that he has never spoken against the minorities, amid outcry from the Opposition that his election speeches are communally divisive and polarising.
The Prime Minister accused the Congress of constantly violating the secular spirit of the Constitution and said that his campaign speeches are aimed at exposing the Opposition’s attempts to appease minorities with vote bank politics.
When asked about his reaction to the apprehension among minorities because of his statements, he said, “I have not spoken a word against minorities. I am only talking against the vote bank politics of Congress. Congress is working against the Constitution, that’s what I have been saying”.
PM Modi on reservation
He said that the makers of Indian Constitution, including BR Ambedkar, had decided that there will not be any reservations on the basis of religion.
"Now you are turning away from that. It is my responsibility to expose them. At that time there were no members of my party in the Constituent Assembly. It was an assembly of eminent people from across the country,” he said.
He was again asked if he has never meant to target the minorities in his election speeches, to which he said, “BJP has never been against minorities. Not just today but never.”
PM Modi said that the Congress follows the path of appeasement.
“I follow the path of satisfaction. (Woh log tushtikaran ke raastey pe chaltey hain, main santushtikaran ke raastey pe chalta hoon). Their politics is that of appeasement. My politics is that of ‘sabka saath sabka vikas’. We believe in ‘sarva dharma sambhav’. We want to take everyone along with us. We are not ready to accept anyone as special citizens but consider everyone equal,” the prime minister said.
(With PTI inputs)
ALSO READ | TMC pointing fingers at women suffering atrocities, opposing CAA to appease vote bank: PM Modi
