Congress, BRS are members of the same corruption racket, says Modi

ZAHIRABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi vigorously rejected allegations from the Congress party, which claimed that the BJP planned to alter the Constitution and scrap reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). He described the Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) as members of the same "corruption racket."

During a massive public rally in Zahirabad on Tuesday, Modi dedicated a significant portion of his speech to countering the Congress's accusations. He insisted that the BJP had no intention of changing the Constitution or abolishing reservations, accusing Congress of spreading lies. He said, "It is Congress that has always despised the Constitution." He also referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as 'shahzada' (prince) and criticised former Prime Ministers Pandit Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi for their perceived disrespect towards the Constitution.

Modi highlighted historical events to support his claims. He noted that Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's original Constitution had inscriptions of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, which Nehru removed during his tenure. He criticised Indira Gandhi for imposing Emergency and Rajiv Gandhi for passing laws that undermined democracy. He also recalled how Rahul Gandhi tore down a law approved by the cabinet led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The Prime Minister firmly stated that the Constitution was sacred to him, citing his celebration of its 60th anniversary with a massive procession on an elephant while he was Chief Minister of Gujarat. He mentioned bowing down before the Constitution both in 2014 and 2019, vowing to celebrate its 75th anniversary in a grand manner while exposing Congress's misdeeds.

Modi addressed other issues, such as the alleged fake video of Amit Shah circulated by Congress regarding reservation, claiming that Congress and 'RR' were involved. He reiterated his commitment to upholding reservations for Dalits, Adivasis, and OBCs, opposing the idea of extending these rights to Muslims based on religion.

He criticised Congress's historical record, pointing to its amendments to the Constitution and alleged obstruction of parliamentary proceedings. He suggested that Congress did not even respect its own internal constitution. To illustrate this, he referred to the contentious removal of Sitaram Kesri from the role of Congress president, suggesting it demonstrated the party's lack of commitment to internal democracy.

Referring to the five fingers in the Congress party's hand symbol, Modi outlined five characteristics of Congress politics: fake slogans and promises, vote bank politics, support for mafias and criminals, nepotism, and corruption. He warned the people of Telangana about Congress's "panja" (hand), linking it to these negative traits.

He noted that the Telugu film industry produced the blockbuster movie RRR, which garnered global acclaim, while the Telangana Congress introduced an "RR tax," referencing Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. Although 'RRR' brought worldwide recognition, the "double R" became synonymous with scandal and disgrace. Modi cautioned that if this "RR tax" continued, it could lead to the downfall of Telangana.

Modi also condemned the Congress government for inaction regarding the Kaleshwaram scam, a scandal allegedly committed by the previous BRS administration. He criticised Congress for promising to investigate the scam when it was in opposition but failing to follow through after taking office. Modi suggested that Congress and BRS were part of the same corrupt network, pointing to their connection in the Delhi liquor scam as evidence.

He reiterated his commitment to farmers' welfare and criticised Congress for not delivering on promises like loan waivers and bonuses on paddy crops. He warned that Congress only gains strength by keeping people poor, whereas the BJP promotes women's empowerment and development projects in Telangana.

Regarding development, Modi highlighted the BJP's achievements, such as four Vande Bharat trains, 40 railway stations upgraded to 'Amrut Stations,' and national highway projects in Telangana. He accused the Congress government of obstructing the establishment of Samakka Sarakka Tribal University and railway line works in Manoharabad, Sircilla, and Kothapally.

Modi concluded by asserting that the INDIA alliance would not win enough seats to even become the main opposition party in parliament and urged people to vote for BJP candidates to ensure continued development in Telangana.