Kharge alleges link between Modi’s ‘400 paar’ call and aim to change Constitution

Channaptana/Bengaluru, Apr 22 (PTI) Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for "400 paar", during the election campaign is aimed at getting NDA two-thirds majority in Lok Sabha that is required to change the Constitution.

It is difficult for BJP-led NDA to cross even 200 seats this time, he claimed, stating that there is an "undercurrent", which will give them the "shock" in 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Kharge also said that he was ready for an open debate to discuss Congress' manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections, as he hit out at Modi for his statement that it completely bears the imprint of the Muslim League.

"This election is important for saving democracy and the Constitution. If you vote on these issues, the vote will go to Congress. If you don't vote for Congress there will be no Constitution or democracy in the country," Kharge said.

Addressing a public meeting in Channapatna, he said, "Modi is seeking two-thirds majority. He is saying '400 paar', because to change the Constitution, two thirds majority is required. To get that two-thirds majority Modi is saying '400 paar'." Questioning as to why Modi is allegedly not stopping RSS and BJP leaders from speaking on changing the Constitution and not taking action against them, Kharge said, "it is because he too wants it to happen, Modi too wants it." Hitting out at Modi for equating the Congress' manifesto with the Muslim League's, the AICC chief said: "If we say we will give employment to youth, is it the Muslim League? Is Nari Nyay... legalising MSP for farmers -- is it the Muslim League? He utters whatever comes to his mouth." The prime minister on Sunday said in Rajasthan that Congress, by doing census, will gather information on assets that people have and will give the same to Muslims. "Being a PM, he should speak with sense, instead of speaking without sense," Kharge said.

"I'm ready for an open debate with him (Modi) wherever he says, to discuss our manifesto. I'll list out things in our manifesto and question him for calling it Muslim League and an anti-national manifesto," he said, as he highlighted the guarantees promised in the manifesto.

Accusing Modi of unnecessarily targeting the Gandhi family, Kharge said, since 1989 till now, no member of the Gandhi family has been prime minister, minister or chief minister. "But, he (Modi) still won't stop attacking the Gandhi family." If anyone is trying to divide this country it is Modi, Kharge alleged, as he accused the prime minister of spreading hate among Hindus and Muslims, and among Dalits and other castes.

Congress' symbol -- 'the hand' -- is always with you, but Modi says that the hand is bad and not to vote for it, "will you cut your hand?" he remarked.

Modi is known for "hit and run", Kharge said, as he urged the prime minister "to stand his ground and discuss issues." "We are not against Modi, but against his ideology, RSS ideology. Why target Modi, an individual? However, the difficulty is BJP and Modi himself say -- Modi's guarantee, Modi's promise, Modi did it. For everything if you say Modi, who should we criticise? They don't even take the BJP's name, everything is Modi. So we too take Modi's name to target," Kharge said.

Later, addressing a public meeting at Bengaluru's Yelahanka, the AICC chief said: "There is an undercurrent, which will give them (BJP) the shock in 2024 Lok Sabha polls. It will result in their end (politically)." Modi says he will not tolerate corruption, but whomever he calls corrupt from other parties, including Congress, he has taken them into his party, Kharge claimed.

"Modi you yourself are corrupt, you are taking so many such people into your party and you are calling others corrupt," he alleged.

"All Modi's promises have turned out to be false, but still people say Modi, Modi. Why Modi? He is a liar, if you still trust him, it is unfortunate," he said.

Targeting the JD(S) for forging an alliance with BJP, Kharge said, those who were targeting BJP day in and out are today sitting on its lap.

Stating that public sector companies like BEL, BHEL, HAL, ITI and HMT came up in Bengaluru during former PM Jawaharlal Nehru and Congress tenure, he asked Modi, "what came during your tenure? Only selling in your time, there are two people to sell -- Modi and Amit Shah, and there are two people to buy -- Ambani and Adani. A loot of the country's resources are going on." PTI