In response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s criticism of Rahul Gandhi for showing what he called a “blank constitution,” the Congress leader struck back, saying the Constitution appears “blank” to the Prime Minister because he has “never read it.” Addressing a crowd in Maharashtra’s Nandurbar, Rahul Gandhi remarked, “The Constitution isn’t empty; it contains the ideas of thousands of years. He doesn’t know what’s inside, and that’s why he says it’s empty.”
Rahul accused Modi of disrespecting historical figures like Birsa Munda, Mahatma Gandhi, and Ambedkar by calling the Constitution “empty.” According to Gandhi, “This Constitution isn’t hollow; it is full of purpose and meaning, and protecting it is what this fight is about.”
Earlier, PM Modi had taken aim at the Congress, saying the “Lal Kitab” (the Constitution) that Congress was displaying was “an empty book,” reflecting what he described as Congress’s disregard for the legacy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. “In their political deceit, Congress has set a new record, flaunting a book that contained nothing,” Modi commented, criticizing Congress’s alleged indifference to Ambedkar’s contributions.
Shifting his focus to the BJP’s policies, Rahul Gandhi criticized the party’s treatment of the tribal population, alleging that the BJP-RSS labels indigenous people as “Vanvasi” (forest dwellers), promoting deforestation across the country. “The term ‘Vanvasi’ implies that tribal children should remain confined to the forest. We, however, see them as ‘Adivasi’ with every right to become doctors, engineers, and businesspeople.”
Rahul Gandhi also stressed that Adivasis make up 8% of India’s population, but their representation in government is marginal. “There are 90 officials managing the government’s spending, yet only one is an Adivasi, and even they are sidelined. We must change this through a caste census,” he said.
Further, Gandhi outlined Congress’s welfare plans, promising to direct funds to the public rather than billionaires. He highlighted Congress’s “Mahalaxmi Yojana,” which pledges ₹3,000 monthly to women, as well as free bus travel, debt waivers of up to ₹3 lakh for farmers, MSP support for paddy, cotton, and soybeans, and a comprehensive caste census. Other promises included health insurance up to ₹25 lakh, ₹4,000 monthly for unemployed youth, and protecting Maharashtra’s job market from outsourcing to other states.
The campaigning has intensified in Maharashtra as both the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) vie for control of the 288-seat state assembly. The elections are set for November 20, with results expected on November 23. In the 2019 elections, the BJP secured 105 seats, Shiv Sena 56, and Congress 44.
