Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi has said that the BJP will “destroy the Constitution” if it comes back to power. He was addressing an election campaign in Vijayapura.
“Several BJP leaders have been talking about finishing off the Constitution, or changing it, or having a new one in its place. They say that provisions of the Constitutions are to be blamed for the problems of today. This clearly shows that the BJP will end the Constitution as we know it if it is voted back to power,” he said.
What Constitution gave us
“We should not forget that people have got all their rights from the Constitution. Before that, rajas and maharajas used to rule India. Today, if the common people, the poor, the Dalits, the tribals have a voice, it is because of our Constitution. We have to protect it at all cost,” he said. “The people of this country have a choice.”
“Mr. Modi has turned some people into billionaires in 10 years, while the poor got nothing. Most of wealth of India is held by just around 20 people. Mr. Modi’s government has transferred airports, energy companies, and national resources to Gautam Adani’s company, and other big corporates,” he said, claiming that the Congress, on the other hand, was with the poor. “While Mr. Modi is making a few people crorepatis, we want to make crores of people lakhpatis.”
He said while Mr. Modi has gone around saying that Karnataka would go bankrupt due to the guarantee schemes, they have been proved wrong. “That is why they are upset. With desperation, they are resorting to cheap tricks. You are listening to Mr. Modi’s speeches. You can see that he is shocked. In a few days, he will shed tears on stage,” Mr. Gandhi said.
‘Empty pot for Karnataka’
Speaking at Ballari, Mr. Gandhi picked on the chembu (empty pot) metaphor that the Congress has been employing to allege that the Centre has given nothing to the State. Holding an empty pot in his hand, Mr. Gandhi attacked the BJP-led Union government for meting out injustice to Karnataka by not providing the State with its due share in Central taxes.
He said Karnataka got only ₹13 back for every ₹100 it contributed to the Union government in the form of tax. The “Union government was supposed to give ₹18,000 for drought relief. Instead it has given empty chembu,” Mr. Gandhi said.
