PM accuses opposition of lacking ideas in claiming 'democracy and Constitution in danger'

Oppn claim of 'democracy and Constitution in danger' shows their 'bankruptcy' of ideas: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday accused the INDIA alliance of spreading lies that the Constitution would be changed if he gets a third term in office and asserted this sustained narrative shows the opposition bloc is facing "bankruptcy" of new ideas.

Addressing an election rally at Kanhan town of Nagpur district in support of ruling Mahayuti alliance candidates from Nagpur, Ramtek, Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha seats of Maharashtra, the PM said chief Constitution maker B R Ambedkar's soul must be blessing him for nullifying Article 370 which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Modi said even during the Vajpayee government's tenure, it was alleged the Constitution will be changed.

The BJP's star campaigner said the INDIA alliance is spreading lies that democracy and the Constitution will be undermined if he returns to office for a third time.

''Their bankruptcy is so huge that they do not have any new ideas. Was democracy not in danger when Emergency was imposed in the country. However, when a son from a poor family became Prime Minister, these people started saying democracy and the Constitution are in danger. These INDIA alliance people cannot see the poor progressing,'' Modi maintained.

He accused the INDIA bloc, a grouping of more than two dozen political parties, of attempting to divide people and asked people to stay united and vote in national interest.

The BJP stalwart alleged the opposition alliance is creating divisions among communities and trying to finish Sanatan Dharma.

Modi asked people to punish the INDIA alliance for their ''sins'' with their valuable vote.

The PM said the Congress did not let the concept of 'One Country One Constitution' get implemented in the country.

If the Constitution was so important for them, why did they not show the courage to implement its provisions across the country for 70 years?, he asked.

''It is Modi who implemented the Constitution from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. The Congress kept Article 370 alive in Jammu and Kashmir. The Constitution of India and the Constitution of J&K were different and it is Modi who removed Article 370 and implemented the Constitution in J&K,'' the BJP leader noted.

''Ambedkar's soul must be blessing Modi after the abrogation of Article 370,'' he said, touting the landmark step in 2019 as his government's achievement.

Modi attacked Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his statement seeking to know benefits of abrogation of Article 370.

This is a proof of the Congress' anti-Dalit, anti-tribal, anti-women and vote bank politics, he said.

''Removal of Article 370 gave these people democratic rights. My SCs/STs brothers and sisters did not have their democratic rights even after independence,'' he said.

The PM hit out at the grand old party for opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), saying the biggest beneficiaries of the recently notified law were Dalit and Buddhist refugees.

He lashed out at the Congress for denying the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian honour, to Ambedkar for decades and neglecting Dalits and tribals.

''The Congress kept the SCs, STs backwards after independence...ended Ambedkar's politics and did not give him the Bharat Ratna. It is the NDA government which made a Dalit and a tribal president of India,'' Modi maintained.

The PM said 'sabka saath sabka vikas' (together with all, development for all) is true secularism and social justice because there is no place for discrimination in this approach.

Modi took a jibe at NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) president Sharad Pawar without taking his name and said today he is also among people abusing him.

Seeking another term in office to take forward his agenda of development, he told the gathering, ''The work I have done in last 10 years is just an appetiser; main course yet to come.'' ''For the next five years, your dream is Modi's sankalp (commitment). Each and every moment of mine is dedicated for your welfare and the country's progress. 24/7 for 2047,'' he said.

This was Modi's second visit to Vidarbha, where polling in five seats will take place in the first phase on April 19, this week. On Monday, he campaigned for BJP nominees of Chandrapur and Gadchiroli-Chimur.

He slammed the opposition for boycotting the 'pran pratishtha' (consecration) ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22, ''This time Ram Lalla will celebrate Ram Navami (the festival falls next week) in a grand temple and not in a tent,'' the PM said.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari, the BJP candidate from Nagpur, also addressed the gathering and assured Modi that the saffron party will win all the ten Lok Sabha seats in Vidarbha.

Gadkari said the face of India has changed under Modi's leadership and the BJP has done in 10 years what the Congress could not do in 60 years of rule.

The former BJP president alleged the Congress is misleading minorities and Dalits by claiming that the Constitution will be changed if the saffron outfit comes to power again at the Centre.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who also addressed the gathering, said the opposition has only hatred for Modi.

Under the PM's leadership, the country is progressing at a pace never seen before, the CM said.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Modi is a global leader and sought votes for his third term in office to take the country further on the path of development.

Fadnavis, a BJP leader, noted the Modi government provided a corruption-free administration and initiated huge development works in Vidarbha and other parts of the country.

Raju Parwe is the Shiv Sena candidate from the Ramtek Lok Sabha seat.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)