Our Bureau
Mahbubnagar/Ranchi
Continuing his attack on Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the opposition party “hates Hindus and Hindu festivals so much that it is now being exposed daily” and “wants to make Hindus second-class citizens in their own country”.
Addressing a rally in Mahbubnagar in Telangana, PM Modi referred to remarks on former Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda about the color of skin of Indians and some of his other remarks to attack the Congress.
He targeted Rahul Gandhi as “shehzada” and Sam Pitroda as “guru” of the Congress leader. “Congress hates Hindus and Hindu festivals so much that it is now being exposed daily. The shehzada’s guru even went ahead to say that the Ram Temple should not have been built. He went on to say that the construction of Ram Temple and celebrating Ram Navami is anti-India, it is against the idea of India… If you want to visit Ayodhya and celebrate Ram Navami, are you anti-India? Congress wants to make Hindus second-class citizens in their own country. Is this why they talk about vote-jihad?” PM Modi asked.
“The shehzada of Congress set out with ‘Mohabbat ki Dukaan’ but the board of the shop is no longer visible and he is busy dividing the society (samaj me zehar gholne me jut gayen hain)…supporters of ‘tukde tukde gang’ are talking of dividing country into pieces. His advisor, sitting in America, says that the people of South India are Africans. He sees the people of Telangana as Africans… The Congress decides who is Indian and who is African based on the color of our skin,” he alleged.
The Prime Minister alleged that Congress is anti-Hindu by mentality. “Congress is fully involved in giving the reservation of SC, ST, and OBC to Muslims on the basis of religion… Remember one thing, ‘Vanchit ka jo adhikaar hai, Modi uska chaukidar hai’,” he said.
Meanwhile, in his address at a public meeting in Jharkhand, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday tore into the opposition for alleging that the BJP was going to end reservations. He assured the tribals that no one could end their reservation.
Singh was campaigning for BJP candidate Sita Soren in the Dumka constituency, where he rejected the opposition’s allegations about the reservation and said that no one can end it.
“The opposition falsely accuses the BJP of ending reservation. But I say that I will never let reservation end. I give assurance to the people of the tribal society that no one can end your reservation,” Singh at an election rally in Dumka.
“No corrupt person will escape in the Modi government. Whenever Congress government was in power, corruption prevailed. If we say something against the corrupt, opposition parties say that we did wrong. If we have done wrong, then action will be taken against us. Go to the High Court or Supreme Court. We do not divide anyone on the basis of caste and religion,” he said.
BJP’s Navneet Rana booked over ‘Pakistan’ remark
Firebrand BJP leader Navneet Rana was booked for her remarks against the Congress at a campaign event in the state, on Friday. An FIR against Rana, who is seeking a fresh term from the Amravati constituency of Maharashtra in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, was registered at the Shadnagar police station in the state.
Canvassing for fellow BJP candidate Madhvi Latha, who is contesting the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat, Navneet said every vote cast in favor of the Congress will be a “vote for Pakistan”.
Confirming the registration of the FIR against her, the police informed that they acted on a complaint and not suo motu. Krishna Mohan of FST flying squad of the Election Commission (EC), who is currently on election duty in the state, filed the complaint against the BJP leader, the police said.
“We received a complaint from the FST flying squad, EC for violation of the model code of conduct. The complaint was lodged yesterday. Krishna Mohan, FST of EC who is on election duty in the state currently, lodged the complaint against Navneet Rana’s remark that every vote cast in favor of Rahul Gandhi and the Congress was a vote for Pakistan. She has been booked under Section 188 of the IPC,” Pratap Lingam, inspector, Shadnagar police station, told ANI.
On Thursday, Navneet attacked the AIMIM and the Congress, claiming that if the people vote for the AIMIM and the Congress, it would mean a vote for Pakistan.
“If you vote for the AIMIM and Congress, it will go directly to Pakistan. The kind of ‘AIMIM prem’ and ‘Rahul prem’ that Pakistan is showing is actually intended to ensure Modi-ji’s defeat and make Rahul win. The Congress government governed the country as per the whims and dictates of Pakistan. Now, the same Pakistan is returning the favor with its demonstration of love and affection for the Congress and the AIMIM,” Navneet said.
