Panipat (Haryana): Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge Friday lashed out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah for announcing the date by which the Ram temple in Ayodhya will be ready. In his visit to poll-bound Tripura, Shah had stated that the temple will be ready by January 1, 2024.
Kharge wondered in what capacity the Union Home Minister made the announcement since he is neither the "pujari" nor the "mahant" of the shrine. "Everyone has faith in god. But why did you make such an announcement, that too just before the Tripura Assembly polls? And when the 2024 Lok Sabha election is also slated for May, you are saying the Ram temple will be inaugurated. Who are you to make such an announcement? Are you the pujari or the mahant of the Ram temple?" Kharge lambasted Shah.
"You are a politician. Your job is to keep the country secure, ensure law and order, ensure that people get food and give the price for farmers' produce. That is your job. Let the mahant and the seers say it," the Congress chief reminded Shah of his duties while speaking at the "Bharat Jodo Yatra" rally at Panipat.
The announcement by Shah is being seen by many as an indication that the saffron party is resorting to vote division based on 'Hindutva' ideals ahead of the 2024 General Elections. "Rahul baba, listen from Sabroom (Tripura) that a mammoth Ram mandir will be ready on January 1, 2024," Shah said attacking the Congress MP.
Kharge also criticised the Centre over inflation, unemployment, and accused them of never fulfilling their 'tall' promises made during election. "In 45 years, unemployment was never so high. Educated youngsters, including those with degrees in engineering, medicine and business management are without jobs, but the BJP government, (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji and Amit Shahji are not worried about them. They have no concern for youngsters, the economic condition or inflation.... Only elections are on their mind," Kharge alleged.
"They take god's name, but spread such lies.... This is a government of lies. It had promised two crore jobs every year. Did you get those jobs? It had promised to put Rs 15 lakh in everyone's bank account. Did you get that?" Kharge asked the crowd.
Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders, including Kumari Selja, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, K C Venugopal, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Shaktisinh Gohil, Kiran Choudhary, Digvijay Singh, Deepender Singh Hooda, D K Shivakumar and Udai Bhan were present at the Bharat Jodo event on Friday evening.
Speaking about Rahul Gandhi who is leading the long arduous Yatra, Kharge said that the country is seeing a "different Rahul." About electoral victories, Kharge said that though Congress got elected in many states under Gandhi's leadership, the saffron party has resorted to various tactics to bring down those democratically-elected governments. "Then they say they believe in democracy. What they do is bring down democratically-elected governments," the Congress chief alleged.
Speaking about a new alternative to Narendra Modi's syle of governance, Kharge asserted that Congress stands to protect the interests of all sections of society. The Bharat Jodo Yatra has not been organised with an eye on votes, he said, but to safeguard the interests of the people of the country, including farmers, labourers, women, Dalits and other weaker sections.
