Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify his position on the 50% limit on reservations. He claimed that the Congress’ ‘Nyay’ guarantees and promise to conduct a caste census were revolutionary steps that would alter the future of Indian politics. “Will Modi ji speak on whether he plans to remove the 50% cap on reservations?” he asked. Gandhi made these remarks at a rally in Pune city as part of campaigning for the Congress’ and the MVA’s Pune Lok Sabha seat candidate, Ravindra Dhangekar.
He reiterated his allegation that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its parent body, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), wanted to “finish-off” the Constitution. “If the Constitution is changed, India will be unrecognisable. The Congress will never let it happen,” said Gandhi.
Gandhi also criticized the media for reportedly being under the control of Modi and his industrialist friends, Gautam Adani and the Ambani family. “The media doesn’t show you the plight of farmers, only the extravagant weddings of the Ambanis. Look at big media companies. See all the big anchors. You won’t see a single Dalit, Adivasi or OBC among them. They are all beholden to Adani and show the PM throughout the day… the media is not yours [the common people’s],” claimed Gandhi.
He targeted PM Modi over the electoral bonds scheme, remarking: “PM Modi says he is cleaning politics. If he is cleaning politics, why did he hide names of donors [in the electoral bonds scheme]? When their names came to light, we found that a company received contracts worth thousands of crores of rupees and soon after the company gives money to the BJP. The CBI opens a case against a company, that company gives thousands of crores of rupees to the BJP and the case is closed. Narendra Modi is being openly corrupt, but the media is silent.”
Gandhi further criticized Modi for ‘insulting’ his ally, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar by calling him a “roving spirit” (bhatakti aatma) who was responsible for the chronic political instability in Maharashtra. “What does he get by making such remarks?” asked Gandhi. Earlier this week, during his rally in Pune, the PM alluded to the 83-year-old Sharad Pawar as a “roving, restless spirit” (bhatakti atma) who was responsible for Maharashtra’s chronic political instability as well as for creating trouble within his own party and family. Mr. Pawar’s nephew, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who split the NCP founded by his uncle last year, chose to remain silent on the PM’s comments, saying he did not know whom Mr. Modi was referring to.
