Congress should capture power in Tamil Nadu, says State unit chief
He remarked that the PM was making contradictory statements after realizing that the chances of his returning to power after four phases of voting in the Lok Sabha elections was completed was dwindling daily
TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was contradicting his own statements in election rallies due to the fear of election defeat.
He remarked that the PM was making contradictory statements after realizing that the chances of his returning to power after four phases of voting in the Lok Sabha elections was completed was dwindling daily. Selvaperunthagai said that the people had rejected the PM's 'hate speeces' while referring to Modi calling Muslims as 'infiltrators' and the Congress manifesto as 'Muslim league manifesto'.
Taking strong exception to the PM's statement in Mumbai on Wednesday that the Congress intends to allot 15% of the union budget to Muslims, the TNCC chief asked, "I don't know the basis of his statement. The Congress manifesto only promises equal rights and opportunity to all people. But, the PM has been slandering to divide people. He (Modi) can never succeed in it."
Contrary to the claims of the PM that the Congress was pitching for religion-based reservation in violation of B R Amebdkar's principles, the TNCC chief said that Muslims were included in the OBC list based on their socio-economic and educational backwardness in accordance with the recommendations of the Sacchar committee.
Arguing that Karnataka was among the 14 states and UTs that provided reservation to the backward communities among the Muslims and that Muslims were included in OBC category in the same state of Gujarat ruled by Modi for 12 years, Selvaperunthagai said that the reservation introduced for Muslims by BJP's ally Deve Gowda in 1994 was still in vogue in Karnataka. He pointed out that the four percent reservation snatched away from Muslims by the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government in March 2023 has been stayed.
He further added, "PM Modi, who has been uttering hate speeches against since the beginning of the poll campaign has done a complete 'U' turn because no one was accepting the communal division of people." The PM is making contradictory statements because he is unable to tolerate the daily dwindling chance of his returning to power in June 2024, Selvaperunthagai remarked.
Meanwhile, the reservation promise made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to SC/ST and OBC communities in excess of the 50% ceiling after conducting a caste census has been received well by the SC/ST, OBC and minorities, the TNCC chief said, adding that the social justice storm sweeping through the country has ensured the defeat of Prime Minister Modi.