Modi became PM because Cong saved democracy, Constitution: Kharge

NEW DELHI: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said that it is the grand old party which has saved the democracy and the Constitution that people like Narendra Modi and Amit Shah could occupy the post of the Prime Minister and the Home MInister.

He also said that Rahul Gandhi talks about 'Bharat Jodo' (unite India), while Modi believes in 'Bharat todo' (divide India) and also charged the Prime Minister of not visiting Manipur even after three months of the violence there.

Addressing the Mahila Congress' two-day National Convention at Talkatora Stadium here, Kharge congratulated its president Netta D'Souza for organising such a programme in Delhi aimed to empower the women. He also emphasised that women can work hard on the ground to defeat the BJP in the coming Assembly elections and the Lok Sabha elections.

Citing his induction into the Congress by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Kharge said that he was made block president in 1969 and two years later he became an MLA and he did not lose a single election for 50 years. He also said that when he lost in the 2019 Lok Sabha election he was sent to the Rajya Sabha by former party chief Sonia Gandhi.

"I am grateful to her. In politics no matter how much you work, there are very few who recognise that and I feel very happy about that. Even the party president post that I got was due to the support of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi," he said.

He also said that he did not lobby in the party for any post and asserted that everyone in the party is contributing to the development of the country.

"This is a service. What Mahatma Gandhi got, did he become the Prime Minister or President of India? For his entire life he wore a dhoti and got us independence. And today due to the independence, which he got for us, we are seeing the Prime Minister, democracy, MLAs and other things," he said.

"And this is the reason why I sometimes say that when Modi many times asks what the Congress has done in the last 70 years and criticises us... Even Morarji Desai, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, V.P. Singh, H.D. Devegowda and I.K. Gujral became Prime Minister. But even after that he says what the Congress has done," he charged.

Slamming the Prime Minister, the Congress leader said, "We have saved democracy, saved the independence, saved the Constitution and this is the reason why you are prime minister today. We have kept democracy alive then only you became the prime minister and even Amit Shah became the Union Home Minister or else they would have stayed in Gujarat."

He also said that no one would have come to know about them (Modi and Shah).

Slamming the BJP, Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said, "Few days ago he (Modi) gave a speech in Parliament but he did not remember (Pandit Jawaharlal) Nehru, Gandhiji, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, BR Ambedkar and it was all about me and me. He keeps on boasting that one Modi is heavier on all opposition. The arrogance of one person is always dangerous. On the eve of Independence day he once again boasted that he will hoist the flag next year from Red Fort. I said that he has said correctly that he will hoist the flag but at his home."

Kharge criticised the Prime Minister for talking about the party which fought for the independence of the country.

Recalling the sacrifices of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, the Congress leader said that she and her son lost their life for keeping the country together. All such leaders, who have sacrificed their life for the country, are from the Congress but you have none."

Targeting the BJP over the Manipur violence, he said that Manipur is burning but they have not gone to see there.

"We asked him (Modi) to speak in Parliament on the Manipur issue. But he did not come in Rajya Sabha and he came in Lok Sabha when no-confidence motion was brought. And even from the ramparts of the Red Fort he spoke on Manipur for only two minutes," he said.

He also cited the visit of Rahul Gandhi to Manipur in June this year and said that he went there and when their government stopped him from visiting the areas, he said that he will walk to them and then they provided him a helicopter.

"Rahul Gandhi went there as a common man because he was disqualified as an MP then and if he can go there to witness the pain of the people but they did not go there even after his visit.

"They are not ready for discussion, then how will they save women? Women are being raped, women have to escape, their children and husbands are dying. And when people are dying these people while sitting in Delhi they are campaigning for elections. They went to Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh. And in Manipur where everything is being destroyed why can't they go there?"

"They don't do the job of uniting but they only work to divide. Rahul Gandhi took the Bharat Jodo Yatra, but Modi does the work of Bharat todo. If they would have some sympathy they would have visited there. Therefore my sisters you have to vow that in any way you will defeat the BJP because no one is happy," he added.