Amravati: Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said his party considers the Constitution to be the country's DNA, but it's a mere 'blank book' for the ruling BJP and its ideological mentor RSS.
Addressing a rally in eastern Maharashtra's Amravati ahead of the November 20 assembly elections, Gandhi said it is written nowhere in the Constitution that state governments can be toppled by 'purchasing MLAs' as happened in Maharashtra, and a 'Rs 16 lakh crore debt' of top businessmen can be waived.
"Congress considers the Constitution as the country's DNA, while for the ruling BJP and the RSS, it is a blank book," he said.
His missive comes on the heels of PM Narendra Modi and BJP's claim that Gandhi was flashing a copy of the Constitution with blank pages at his campaign rallies.
"My sister told me that these days Prime Minister Narendra Modi was speaking about the same issue that I have been raising. I told him in the Lok Sabha that a caste census should be conducted and the 50 per cent cap on reservations should be removed. Now he is saying in his election rallies that I am against reservation. He is suffering from memory loss like a former US president. The PM will next say Rahul Gandhi is against caste census,'' Gandhi said.
"Our opposition spent crores of rupees to tarnish my image because I stood for the rights of Dalits, Adivasis and Backward Classes," he added.
“Discrimination against Dalits, tribals and upper caste people are on the rise today. It is very pathetic compared to the East. There are a total of 90 officers who prepare the country's budget. Important decisions in the country are taken by key officials. Whenever funds are distributed, the share of Dalits, tribals and middle class is very less. Among the senior officials in the government, Dalit officials constitute three out of 15 per cent,” he said.
Terming the rolling out of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonetisation as weapons to kill farmers and small businesses, he said unemployment was rising and that was why hatred is spreading in society.
'"I want to tell Modi ji that industrialists haven't chosen you to be the PM. It is done by the people of India and industrialists have indeed marketed him,'' Gandhi said.
He alleged that the Maharashtra government was "stolen" through the misuse of money as it was a "deal" for the Dharavi redevelopment project, awarded to an Adani group entity.
He accused PM Modi of promoting the lie that Gandhi was against the Constitution and reservations from another rally at Chimur in Chandrapur district later on the day. He said he kept displaying the Constitution at rallies to remind people of the struggle and sacrifices of the national icons who built the country.
'"I spoke in the Lok Sabha in front of the prime minister that we should remove the 50 per cent cap on reservations and conduct a caste census. Still, the PM lies, saying I am against reservations and the Constitution," Gandhi said.
"The BJP insults our national icons and the people of the country when it says I show a red book of the Constitution," he said, responding to the saffron party's claim that the red cover suggested association with "urban Naxals." As long as the Modi government is at the helm, there can be no job creation, he added.
The Dalits, Adivasis and Backward Classes together account for 90 per cent of the population, but their share in decision-making is equivalent to only "Rs 6.10 paise out of a budget of Rs 100," he said.
The Constitution speaks of equitable distribution of resources, Gandhi said, adding, "We are following the tenets of the Constitution in letter and spirit. Unemployment and inflation are spiralling out of control and the poor cannot afford to get their children married off while crores of rupees are spent at the marriages of industrialist families".
He said the condition of farmers in Maharashtra is precarious. Loans worth Rs 16 lakh crore of the country's billionaires were waived off by the government. The situation of cotton and soybean growers is extremely serious. Unfortunately, 20 to 22 special entrepreneurs in the country are getting loan waivers worth crores of rupees in a single day when farmers are being ignored. “We will reduce the price of soybean to Rs 7,000 per quintal and will set up a special committee to get a fair price for soybean,” he added.
On the Dharavi redevelopment project, he said the lands of rich people are never acquired. "Had only ten rich people been living in Dharavi, the land would have never been acquired. Have you heard of rich people's land being taken? Why should only the land of the poor people and farmers be grabbed? Is it written in the Constitution?" Gandhi asked.
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