PM Modi's challenge to Rahul Gandhi: 'Praise Savarkar, Bal Thackeray for 15 minutes'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (November 8) dared the Congress's allies in Maharashtra to get party MP and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to speak for 15 minutes in praise of Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, whose contributions to the country, he said, were unparalleled.

Kicking off his campaign for the Maharashtra Assembly polls and addressing his second rally of the day in Nashik district, Modi accused the Congress of trying to weaken and divide OBCs (other backward castes) for power, and called it a 'par-jeevi' (parasite) which was dependent on other parties to survive.

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Modi maintained the November 20 elections were a fight for Maharashtra's self-respect and pride.

'Congress and its allies abuse Savarkar regularly'

''For us, Marathi history, culture is a centre of faith. Savarkar is a source of inspiration. But the Congress and its allies never gave Marathi the respect it deserves. They abuse Savarkar regularly. A senior MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) leader has asked the Congress yuvraj (referring to Gandhi) to stop disrespecting Savarkar as elections are taking place here. Those who consider Savarkar as an icon are with the Congress,'' he said in an apparent reference to the Shiv Sena (UBT), a former BJP ally.

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Without naming Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray or any other MVA allies, Modi said, "I want to dare Congress' allies to make the Congress yuvraj speak 15 minutes in praise of Savarkar and his sacrifices for the country. Similarly, the yuvraj should also be made to speak in praise of Balasaheb Thackeray. Today is November 8.. and I will wait for their response.''

The Shiv Sena (UBT) is a constituent of the Opposition bloc MVA along with Congress and NCP (SP).

Attacking the Congress, the Prime Minister emphasised the country's oldest political party was no longer a pan-India entity.

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''It is a par-jeevi (parasite) which is alive on crutches – whether it is Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh or Jharkhand (states where Congress has aligned with regional parties)," he noted.

PM says his government works for the poor

Modi said the Congress was angry with OBCs because their consolidation in the1990s (which marked era of Mandal politics) resulted in the party losing power.

"So, it wants to weaken OBCs and destroy their unity so that doors to power open for them again," he opined.

Continuing his attack on the national political party, Modi accused the Congress of attempting to pit one caste against the other.

''OBCs became aware of their rights in the 1990s (referring to quota recommended for them by Mandal Commission), it brought shutters down on the Congress and their single party rule ended. So, the Congress is angry and wants to weaken OBCs and break their unity. It thinks once OBCs become weak, doors to power will once again open for it," the BJP stalwart maintained.

Modi said under the Mahayuti government, of which the BJP is a constituent, Maharashtra is setting new records in development.

"We are a government which works for the poor. When the poor prospers, the country also prospers," the Prime Minister said.

Calling himself a 'sevak' (servant) of the poor, Modi told the gathering that in the last 10 years of the BJP-led NDA's rule at the Centre, 25 crore people have come out of poverty.

Modi lists his government's achievements

Listing achievements of his government, the PM said, ''50 lakh women have benefitted due to the Ujjwala Yojana (which provides free LPG connections to poor women). More than one crore households have got tap water (under har ghar jal scheme). Crores get free ration every month.

"Similarly the poor have benefitted due to the PM Awas Yojana. If development works need to continue, the Mahayuti government must be voted back to power." Fnancial aid provided to farmers under the Krishi Samman Yojana will grow from Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 per year once the government comes back to power, he declared and said Maharashtra's development was key to achieving the goal of a "Viksit Bharat (developed India).

Referring to the MVA rule from November 2019 to June 2022, he said the first two-and half years (of the term of the outgoing assembly) saw ''maha corruption ''and roadblocks to development.

For the sake of Maharashtra, voters should keep MVA away from power, the PM told the gathering.

He said Nashik will benefit from the ongoing development works for the Kumbh Mela slated to be held in the North Maharashtra city in 2026 and added the region is growing in IT and defence sectors.

He charged the Congress and its allies with leaving no stone unturned to weaken the country.

'The Congress made false accusations against Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) – (which has a unit in Nashik) – provoking its workers, but it (PSU) is making record earnings. When your intentions are clear, results are also good. The Congress has no value for the Constitution. Recently, the party was exposed in Maharashtra for moving around with blank pages of the Constitution," the PM said.

'MVA's guarantees are scam'

Modi also referred to the 2019 nullification of Article 370 which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

"For 75 years, the Constitution wasn't implemented in Kashmir. We removed that Article 370 and implemented 'One Constitution One Nation' policy. Abrogation of Article 370 was my biggest tribute to Dr B R Ambedkar (chief architect of Constitution)," Modi said.

Describing the Congress and its allies as "sinners", he said while the BJP and Mahayuti were giving an account of their work, the Grand Old Party had opened 'jhoot ki dukan' (shop of lies).

The PM described the MVA's poll "guarantees" as ghotala patra (scam document).

Polls for the 288-member Assembly will take place on November 20 and results will be out three days later.

(With agency inputs)