NEW DELHI: Congress chief
Mallikarjun Kharge
on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister
Narendra Modi
over his letter to
NDA
candidates.
In his letter, Kharge suggested that the tone and content of the letter indicate desperation and worry, leading the Prime Minister to use language unbefitting of his office. The Congress president emphasized that voters are intelligent enough to discern the truth and that repeating a lie will not make it true.
“I saw the letter written by you to all the NDA candidates about what they need to communicate to the voters.
From the tone and content of the letter it seems that there is a lot of desperation and worry in you which is leading you to use language that does not suit the office of the Prime Minister,” Kharge said.
“The letter makes it look like the lies in your speeches are not having the effect you intended and now you want your candidates to amplify your lies,” he added.
Kharge reiterated the promises made by the Congress party in its manifesto and countered the BJP’s accusation of appeasement politics. He pointed out that the only appeasement policy witnessed in the last decade was the government’s appeasement of China.
“Even today, you refuse to call China as ‘Ghuspaithiye’, instead on June 19, 2020, you said “Na Koi Ghusa Hai, Na Hi Koi Ghus Aaya hai”, insulting the supreme sacrifice of 20 Indian soldiers in Galwan. Your public ‘Clean Chit’ to China, has weakened India’s case and made it more belligerent,” he said.
Responding to PM Modi’s charge that Congress will take away from SC, ST, and OBC and give to their “votebank,” Kharge clarified that the Congress party’s votebank consists of every Indian, including the poor, marginalized, women, aspirational youth, labor class, Dalits, and Adivasis.
“Our votebank is every Indian – the poor, the marginalised, the women, the aspirational youth, the labour class, the Dalits and the Adivasis. Everyone knows it is the RSS and BJP who opposed reservations at every stage since 1947. Everyone knows it is the RSS and BJP which wants to change the Constitution to end reservation. Your leaders have openly spoken about it. You need to clarify why you are opposed to reservation to SC, ST and OBCs on the basis of their population as per Article 16 of our Constitution,” he said.
The veteran Congress leader also clarified the party’s stance on inheritance tax and and affirmed that the party’s manifesto focuses on Nyay and promoting growth for all sections of society.
Kharge further pointed out that the low voter turnout in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha election indicates a lack of enthusiasm among the people regarding the government’s policies.
