During an election rally in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, urging them, along with their allies, to declare their stance against religion-based reservations. He emphasised the Bharatiya Janata Party’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding quotas for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and the economically disadvantaged in the general category.
In his address, PM Modi accused the Congress of resorting to falsehoods after facing defeat in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He singled out Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, referring to him as “shehzada,” and challenged the party and its affiliates to refrain from tampering with the constitutional provisions regarding reservations.
PM Modi asserted that the BJP stands firm in its pledge to protect existing reservations, while accusing the Congress of attempting to divert quotas meant for marginalised communities to benefit Muslims. He condemned this alleged agenda, portraying it as an attempt to deprive SCs, STs, and OBCs of their rightful entitlements.
“The reservation for SCs, STs, OBCs and economically backward of the general category will never be looted… Your (Congress) intention is to loot the reservation and give it to Muslims. I challenge the shehzada of Congress, Congress and the Jamat who support it to declare if they have courage that they will never misuse the reservation, will not play with the Constitution or give reservation on the basis of religion. Declare this if you have courage,” he said.
“They will not declare this because there is something suspicious. The BJP will protect the reservation given to the SCs, STs, OBCs and economically backward of the general category… They want to snatch away the reservation for their vote bank… They should give a written declaration that they will not give reservation on a religious basis,” he said.
PM Modi has accused the Congress of implementing religion-based reservations in Karnataka and previously in undivided Andhra Pradesh. He urged INDIA alliance parties to provide a written assurance that they will uphold the constitutionally mandated reservation provisions without alteration.
Recalling past electoral confrontations, PM Modi highlighted the Congress’ derogatory remarks towards him in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, where he was labeled as a “tea seller”. He noted that the electorate’s response reduced the Congress’ parliamentary presence to nearly 40 seats.
Furthermore, PM Modi addressed the contentious “Chowkidar chor hai” slogans used against him during the 2019 general elections, particularly in the context of the Rafale fighter jet deal. He also mentioned the baseless allegations of “Modi khoon ki dalali karta hai or Modi profits from bloodshed” made by the Congress.
“After 2019, they intensified insults towards Modi. The prince of Congress proudly called the entire Modi and OBC communities thieves. Because Modi is from Gujarat, no opportunity was left to spread hatred against Gujaratis. They did not stop here; they did not lag behind in calling my parents bad things. In 2024, Congress and the INDI Alliance have come up with the new lie that reservations will end… they will be limited to fewer seats than before,” he added.
Referring to the two phases of Lok Sabha that have been held, he said INDIA alliance was defeated in the first phase and collapsed in the second. In Rajasthan, INDIA bloc parties are unlikely to win a single seat there.
“INDI alliance is doing just anything out of nervousness. They opened a ‘Mohabbat ki Dukan’ and now they are selling fake videos. They are spreading lies through fake videos. Their ‘Mohabbat ki Dukan’ is a fake factory. The fake videos may mislead people for some time but you will be punished for it,” PM Modi added.
Hitting back at Congress, the PM said the BJP-led NDA had support of nearly 400 MPs in the outgoing Lok Sabha and it did not commit the “sin” of ending reservation.
“Those who are talking about 400 seats, even today, the NDA have around 360 seats in the Parliament, and parties like BJD and YSRCP, which were not in our alliance, supported us. We did not commit the sin of withdrawing the reservation,” PM Modi said.
“In 2024, the Congress and INDI alliance has come up with a lie. Their eco-system is pushing that lie. They are saying that the reservation would be withdrawn. It is a completely fabricated lie… This time they will be limited to fewer seats than last time..,” he said adding no party in INDIA bloc is in a position to get majority and were fighting far fewer seats than the BJP.
“Even the royal family of Delhi is not going to vote for Congress. There is no Congress candidate where they vote. Ahmed Patel’s family in Bharuch will not vote for Congress. A big Congress leader, who votes in Bhavnagar, will not be able to vote for Congress. This is the condition of the Congress,” he said.
“I salute the people of Gujarat that they never made an unstable government here. You never fell for any short-term allurements. In many States, political instability did not let the industries develop or work with a broader vision. Once you removed the Congress from Gujarat, you did not let them step in again. The Congress does not have issues, vision or passion to work,” he said.
“In the 2024 elections, I have come with a guarantee based on the capabilities of the country. My guarantee is, we will make Bharat the third-largest economy in the world. This will not just benefit the current generation, but also the future generations,” he added.
“Today is Gujarat Day. And this day is a day of new resolution and energy. Let’s take a resolution today that to make a Viksit Bharat, we will not hold anything back in making a Viksit Gujarat,” he added.
Voting for 25 out of 26 seats in Gujarat will take place in the third phase of the ongoing general elections on May 7. Voting will not take place in Surat as BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal was declared elected unopposed last week after Congress’ Nilesh Kumbhani’s nomination was rejected while other candidates withdrew from the contest.
