Bhadrak (Odisha) [India], May 29 (ANI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his back-to-back poll rallies across the country as he alleged that the latter never visited the violence-hit Manipur even once.
Kharge alleged that the Prime Minister toured the entire country and travelled abroad when violence broke out in Manipur.
"If violence happens somewhere, Modi won't go there. There was violence in Manipur, but Modi didn't go. People were dying, houses were burnt, where was Modi? Narendra Modi is touring the entire country for election campaigns, but has not visited Manipur till date," he said.
"Many people lost their lives in Manipur. People's houses were burnt and thousands of people were displaced. When Manipur was burning, Narendra Modi was travelling abroad," the Congress chief said.
The violence in Manipur saw clashes between Meiteis and Kuki that erupted after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3, 2023.
Kharge further alleged that the Constitution and democracy will be in danger if the BJP is voted to power again.
"We brought the reservation, they are speaking of ending it. You keep speaking nonsense and blaming us. We will protect this Constitution. If we do not defeat BJP, the Constitution and democracy will be in danger. It is very important to remove BJP from power. PM Modi only cares about how to come to power again but we care about saving the nation," Kharge said.
The Congress chief also likened BJP and RSS to snakes saying "BJP and RSS are like snakes. I have said this and saying again. If you lick and check if its poison, then you will die. We are telling it is poison, stay away," he said.
The Congress chief also vowed to provide 10 kg of free rice once voted to power and also promised to fill the lakhs of vacancies in the central government.
Odisha is seeing simultaneous polls to both Lok Sabha and the assembly. The assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the BJD-ruled state are being held across four phases, from May 13 to June 1.
Navin Patnaik, who has been in power as the chief minister since 2000, is seeking a record sixth term in simultaneous state elections. The counting of votes for all phases in the state and elsewhere in the country will be held on June 4.
In the last assembly elections in 2019, the BJD won the maximum number of seats, winning 112 out of the 146 seats. The BJP won 23 seats, while Congress had to be content with just 9. (ANI)
