Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized the Congress on Thursday for its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections, suggesting that it exhibits appeasement and resembles a political document akin to the former ‘Muslim League’.
Speaking at a rally in Bihar’s Nawada, PM Modi accused the opposition coalition, INDIA, of attempting to sow division within the nation.
“The leaders of the INDI alliance talk about another partition of India. The leaders of the Congress party are openly advocating separate nationhood for South India. The Congress manifesto that was released earlier smacks of appeasement and reads like a poll document of the Muslim League,” PM Modi said.
The Congress manifesto, unveiled in Delhi on Friday, highlights priorities such as job generation and infrastructure enhancement. It notably includes the party’s commitment to conduct a caste census, echoing the significance emphasized since Bihar’s caste survey results last year. Additionally, the manifesto pledges a minimum support price, addressing farmers’ demands, and advocates for universal free healthcare.
PM Modi also reminded the public that leaders of the INDIA bloc declined the invitation to the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on January 22 this year.
“Modi had guaranteed that a grand temple of Ram Lalla will be built in Ayodhya and today the peak of the grand Ram temple touches the sky. The Congress and the RJD made every effort to prevent the Ram Temple from seeing the light of day. The temple is a reality today. They declined the invitation to the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of the Ram temple. Some leaders from the Congress did attend the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of the Ram temple, defying the party line, but ended up being expelled for 6 years. As the Navaratri draws near, do remember how they (Opposition leadrs) sinned by spurning the Ram Temple invite,” PM Modi added.
Continuing his criticism of the Opposition, he remarked that his assurances to the people were causing considerable discomfort among members of the INDIA bloc.
“The guarantees of Modi are troubling INDI alliance members; they don’t like them. A very big leader of INDI alliance said, ‘Modi, your guarantees should be banned’. Are they scared of Modi’s guarantees? If I tell my countrymen that I will work 24 hours, is it a crime?…Modi gives a guarantee and works hard to fulfil it. I had also given the guarantee that Article 370 will be removed (from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir). What was the result? Was Article 370 removed or not?” PM Modi said.
“Modi gives guarantees because his intentions are pure and he works hard to fulfil them. However, leaders in the INDI alliance won’t understand this. They are known to spout lies for votes,” he said.
This year, the BJP nominated Vivek Thakur, who serves as the party’s Rajya Sabha MP and is the son of senior BJP leader and former Union minister CP Thakur, as its candidate for the Nawada Lok Sabha constituency.
On April 4, PM Modi initiated the NDA’s Lok Sabha election campaign in Bihar by hosting a rally in the Jamui constituency. Voting is scheduled for the Nawada, Gaya, Aurangabad, and Jamui Lok Sabha constituencies in the initial phase on April 19.
Under the NDA’s seat-sharing agreement in Bihar for the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP is contesting 17 seats, and its ally JD(U) is contesting 16 seats. Additionally, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest 5 Lok Sabha seats in the state, while the Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) will each contest one seat.