1 week Ago By Ranjan Dasgupta and Abhilash Botekar
NASHIK: PM Narendra Modi asked people on Friday not to be swayed by what he said was Congress' "divisive" plank and sounded the caution of "Ek hain toh safe hain". He accused Congress of indulging in "dangerous politics to divide Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs" not only to weaken the country but for political gain. Modi, who began his campaign in Maharashtra for the Nov 20 polls by addressing rallies in Dhule and Nashik city, also ruled out the possibility of restoration of Article 370 in J&K.
He said Congress and its alliance partners should "stop promoting policies of Pakistan to weaken India". Observers pointed to his choice of Dhule as the venue for the deployment of the "Ek hain toh safe hain" pitch as the campaign theme given the narrow defeat the BJP candidate suffered in Dhule LS seat in the May general election. On Friday, Modi said, "The three former Congress PMs - Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi - were opposed to giving reservations to Dalits, tribals and OBCs.
Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar had opposed Nehru's decision. Indira Gandhi followed Nehru's policy on this issue and Rajiv Gandhi opposed reservation to OBCs." He added, "At present, Congress's 'Yuvraj' (a reference to Rahul Gandhi) is playing the same game, which is dangerous and will weaken the country, Congress has been indulging in such vicious politics of dividing Dalits, tribals and OBCs as it knows if these communities get united, it would be hugely detrimental for the party.
" According to the PM, it was Congress's politics on religious lines that led to the division of the country. "Congress must remember that 'hum ek hain toh safe hain'," he said. On the resolution passed by the J&K govt for restoration of Article 370, Modi held Congress responsible for the position taken by NC.
"Congress and its allies who came to power in J&K have started hatching a conspiracy to break the country," he said. "On the one hand, Congress and its allies in J&K want to snatch rights of Dalits, tribals and OBCs by demanding restoration of Article 370. On the other hand, they wave a blank red book in the name of the Constitution to hoodwink Dalits, tribals and OBCs in Maharashtra.
" He said as long as he has people's blessings, "Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution will prevail in J&K". Modi said Congress's "Yuvraj" has been advised by some MVA politicians not to target late freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar as it would ruin the coalition's prospects in Maharashtra. He also questioned Congress's "silence" in appreciating Shiv Sena founder late Balasaheb Thackeray's contributions to India and Maharashtra's politics.
He dared Congress allies in Maharashtra to get Rahul to speak for 15 minutes in praise of Savarkar and Balasaheb Thackeray, whose contributions to the country, he said, were unparalleled. Modi appealed to voters not to be hoodwinked by the MVA's "false promises" and cited examples of states like Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh where Congress govts, he said, "are unable to even pay employees' salaries". The PM said the Centre would actively consider Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis's request to set up an airport in Palghar.
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