RAIPUR: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said the BJP-led Union government wants to change the Constitution and curtail the rights of people. Addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh’s Balod in support of the Congress’ Kanker Lok Sabha candidate Biresh Thakur, she also decried the use of religion in politics and said this was never the tradition of the country.
“Several BJP leaders in their speeches say give them 400 Lok Sabha seats and they will change the Constitution. Why are they saying this? While their small leaders and many ministers say they will change the Constitution, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior party leaders say they will not change it. Do you think BJP leaders can say such a big thing without Modi ji’s permission.?” she asked.
“This is a conspiracy. The Constitution has given you the right to vote, given you reservations, ensured protection of tribal culture and facilitated the development of Dalits. The BJP-led Union government wants to change the Constitution and curtail people’s rights,” she claimed.
She said any change in the Constitution will impact everyone and people would not be able to lead a respectable life since their rights would be lost, including that of asking questions. The intention of the BJP-led Centre is not right, the senior Congress leader alleged.
Attacking the BJP, she said Modi will come for campaigning with great fanfare, make grand promises, talk about tribal culture but will do nothing to protect it.
Asserting that “show off politics” had gained ground and was the trend in the country, she said, “Today, when a leader performs puja, a camera must be there and it should be seen on television. There has to be showing off.”
“Indiraji (former prime minister Indira Gandhi) had a puja room to perform rituals but she did it in solitude. It was not to show off. Religion should not be used in politics as it has not been our tradition,” the Congress leader further said. Religion means truth and service and if a leader makes false promises from the stage, then he or she is neither religious nor on the path of truth, Gandhi asserted. “The BJP-led Union government is only working for a few industrialist friends of PM Modi. If it was working for you (citizens), then your problems would have been solved gradually. Modi ji’s government has been in power for 10 years. Has your life changed?” she questioned.
BJP leaders keep claiming Prime Minister Modi has become a powerful leader in the world, but if that was the case then why did he not reduce unemployment or control inflation, Gandhi said. The PM waived loans of Rs 16 lakh crore of industrialist friends, the Congress leader claimed.
“In this country people are supreme. Every leader in this country knew that if he did not speak the truth in front of the public then the public would teach them a lesson. But today circumstances have changed. The leader to whom you gave power, respect and reverence has become very arrogant,” Gandhi claimed.
“BJP leaders say Modiji stops wars. Then why did he not eliminate unemployment, inflation? When our sisters were being tortured, why didn’t you help them?” she asked citing examples of alleged atrocities on women in Hathras, Unnao, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Haryana etc. She said the BJP keeps talking about dynastic politics and corruption but leaders who join them become clean.
PTI

  BJP, CAA, Congress, Election

Agencies