Cong, allies want south to secede: PM
In Kolhapur, Modi again said INDIA bloc wants to rob OBCS of their quota by including Muslims
KOLHAPUR : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday alleged that the Congress and its allies are trying to break southern states from India and form a “separate country”. Modi was in Kolhapur to campaign for Mahayuti candidates Sanjay Mandlik and Dhairyasheel Mane, where he said that the opposition has started raising this demand in states such as Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Trying to invoke Hindutva sentiments, Modi attacked Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leaders for comparing the sanatan dharma with diseases like dengue and malaria, and further accused the Congress of minority appeasement by joining hands with the followers of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. He further claimed the Congress-led Karnataka government robbed OBCS of their due share by adding Muslims to their quota.
The prime minister, however, chose not to speak against Congress’ Kolhapur candidate Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, who is a descendent of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
An attack would have hurt the sentiments of the Maratha community that has a deep respect for the Maratha king and his descendants. Shahu is making his debut in electoral politics and is contesting from the Kolhapur constituency against sitting Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Mandlik.
Modi said: “After failing to win state assembly polls in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, they are venting their anger on the country. In Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, INDIA alliance and Congress leaders are demanding to break southern states from India and make a separate country,” he stated and asked if the people from the land of Shivaji will allow them to break the country. The crowd shouted back, “no.”
The prime minister chose to repeat a phrase expressed by the Maratha king against Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, “A h a d T h a n j a v u r Ta h a d Peshawar”, at the time of his coronation. The phrase means, “From Thanjavur to Peshawar, it is our land.”
“They have stooped too low for votebank politics and have joined hands with those who follow Aurangzeb,” he said. Modi then veered back to Maharashtra politics and attacked Uddhav Thackeray: “Nakli Sena (Uddhav Thackeray led Shiv Sena) is with them in all this. The soul of Balasaheb (Thackeray) would be sad today.”
He was referring to the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) that has declared unsolicited support to Shahu Maharaj’s candidature in Kolhapur. The BJP has been trying to make this an issue to polarize Maratha votes against Shahu. The Congress has already clarified that they have not sought any support from the AIMIM.
Coming to the M K Stalin-led DMK that is ruling Tamil Nadu, PM Modi said, “DMK, which is very close to Congress, terming sanatan (dharma) as dengue and malaria and those who talk about eliminating sanatan (dharma) are being felicitated by INDIA bloc leaders.”
In response to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s claim that the Modi government is planning to amend the Constitution of the country after coming to power for a third term, the prime minister made a contrary claim.
“It is the Congress that wants to amend the Constitution and give reservation based on religion. Congress, which has always insulted (Babasaheb) Ambedkar, is planning to rob the reservation of dalit and backward classes. It wants to implement the Karnataka model in Maharashtra and the entire country,” he said. He termed the Karnataka model as “extremely dangerous” as it makes the entire Muslim community OBC. He warned: “The Congress-led Karnataka government implemented this model overnight and robbed the entire 27% OBC quota by making Muslims as its stakeholders,” he alleged.
Kolhapur is known for its football culture, considering which, the prime minister, speaking at the Tapovan Maidan in Kolhapur, asked the people of Kolhapur to put such a goal that the opposition-led INDIA alliance should lose all the forthcoming rounds of the general elections.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj said, “From Thanjavur to Peshawar, it is our land.” NARENDRA MODI, Prime Minister