LUCKNOW: Former Congress president
Rahul Gandhi
accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday of attacking the Constitution, saying, “Modi-ji is a king, I am telling the truth. He is not the prime minister, he is a king. He has nothing to do with the cabinet, Parliament or Constitution. He is the king of the 21st century and is the front for two or three financiers who have the real power.”
“Congress will also have to change its politics in the coming times.
This will have to be done. I also want to say that Congress has also made mistakes and I am saying this while being from Congress,” he said in his speech at a conclave on the
Indian Constitution
in Lucknow.
Gandhi added that he is “100%” prepared for a debate with
PM Modi
but knows the PM will not agree.
Rahul claimed BJP would be restricted to less than 180 seats in
Lok Sabha elections
. “I can give you in writing, if you want, that Modi is not going to be PM again,” he said.
Reiterating his demand for a
caste-based census
, Rahul said 90% of the population in India comprises people from SCs/STs, OBCs, Dalits, tribals, minorities, and poor from the general community who are not given equal participation.
“If the nation is to be strengthened, it cannot be done without including this 90% population. If you say that the 90% will not come into bureaucracy, sports, media, judiciary, and even beauty pageants, then what superpower will you make? Do you want to make 10% of the population a superpower,” Rahul said.
BJP politicians are openly stating the party will change the Constitution, the Congress MP said, holding a copy of the Indian Constitution.
Assuring the gathering that Congress would ensure fair representation of the marginalised community , if it forms govt, Rahul reiterated BSP founder Kanshi Ram’s vision of “jiski jitni sankhya bhari uski utni hissedari.”
At the end of his speech, he also took some questions from the audience. When asked about the Old Pension Scheme not being included in the party manifesto, he said the matter was “open to consideration”. Asked if the institutions privatised by the Modi govt would be nationalised again, Gandhi said, “It will be difficult but we will not allow the blatant privatisation of big institutions.”
