‘Shivaji Maharaj insulted, Modi-Shah spreads lies about Rahul’

Shirdi/Kolhapur, Nov 16 (PTI) Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah of spreading lies that Rahul Gandhi is against reservations.

Modi and Shah are afraid of Rahul Gandhi because he wants a caste census to be conducted, she claimed while standing as MVA candidate for the November 20 Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

Priyanka addressed rallies in Shirdi and Kolhapur.

She alleged that projects worth Rs 10 lakh crore were snatched from Maharashtra, leading to the loss of 8 lakh jobs and closure of 6,000 businesses.

The AICC general secretary accused Mahayuti leaders of insulting Shivaji Maharaj and fueling the collapse of his statue in Sindhudurg district in August over alleged corruption.

“The statue of Shivaji Maharaj outside the parliament was removed. The statue installed in Sindhudurg collapsed when corruption took place in its construction. What is the point of taking the name of the legendary king if you want that person offend?” she asked.

Priyanka alleged that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s country and its people are being insulted. “All these leaders including Modi ji are taking his (Shivaji Maharaj) name but they are not respecting him,” she alleged.

Prime Minister laid a foundation for the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj but later stopped the work, she alleged, apparently referring to the proposed monument of the warrior king in the Arabian Sea near Mumbai.

She challenged Prime Minister Modi to publicly announce that a caste census will be conducted and the 50 percent limit on reservations will be lifted.

“But Modi and Shah are saying from the public platform that my brother is against reservations. Rahul traveled from Manipur to Mumbai to perform Nyaya Yatra and you are accusing him of being anti-reservation. They are telling lies from public platforms because they know that the person traveled from Kanyakumari to Kashmir in search of justice and caste enumeration,” Priyanka added.

She alleged that Maharashtra is facing discrimination as several industrial projects are being snatched from the state and shifted to other regions.

“The Prime Minister is like a mother to the nation. And since a mother does not differentiate between her children, he should not differentiate between states,” the AICC general secretary said.

Priyanka said (ex-Prime Minister) Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi set up big companies and institutions like AIIMS and IITs, built dams and canals, and built infrastructure and factories while building the nation without discrimination.

A former prime minister decided to set up an International Financial Services Center in Mumbai, but it was taken to Gujarat, she said without naming names.

“Lots of companies left Maharashtra, big projects and big companies were taken out of here. Investments of Rs 10 lakh crore were taken away. Maharashtra lost around 8 lakh jobs while more than 6,000 companies had to close their doors,” Priyanka claimed.

Despite systematic attempts to weaken Maharashtra, they (BJP leaders) claim they are strengthening the state, she added.

She said Vedanta Foxconn, Tata-Airbus, drug park and other projects have been implemented outside Maharashtra in the last decade.

“When elections take place, Modiji will have gone abroad. Even before the election campaign is over, he has left the country,” Priyanka added.

She rejected the claims of complete eradication of terrorism under the Modi regime.

“The people of Maharashtra, especially my sisters, are facing another terror: the terror of inflation. People across the country and Maharashtra are reeling under inflation, but no one seems to be worried,” the Congress leader added.

Priyanka alleged that the state government had launched ‘Ladki Bahin’ cash transfer scheme in view of the elections.

“Is Rs 1,500 enough to cover household expenses, including gas cylinders and food? They (Mahayuti) have been in power for 2.5 years. They (BJP) have been ruling the country for the past 10 years. Why did they introduce ‘Ladki Bahin’? schedule now?” she asked.

Priyanka accused the Prime Minister of not addressing the concerns of farmers who are suffering due to the government’s policies.

“The prices of cotton, onions and soybeans have not increased in the last ten years. Farmers are in trouble,” she claimed.

Priyanka further alleged that debts worth Rs 16 lakh crore of corporates were written off by the government while farmers and common people suffered.

“Congress-led governments had waived off farm loans in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Karnataka,” she added.

The Congress leader said the rulers claim to be upholding the Constitution but in fact they are violating its provisions.

“Under our Constitution, the vote is the people’s most powerful instrument. But in Maharashtra, the government was stolen after the last state assembly polls by bribery, intimidation and central agencies.

“The people of Maharashtra were betrayed. This was orchestrated by Modiji and BJP leaders who used corrupt means to overthrow a functioning government. Yet they talk about the Constitution,” Priyanka alleged.

Does the Constitution allow the overthrow of governments using money and muscle power? Where are these millions of rupees coming from to buy MLAs?,” she asked.

Priyanka alleged that promises were implemented by Congress in several states after coming to power.

In Kolhapur, Priyanka said PM Modi’s speeches reflect contradictions in his words and actions.

“Modi’s speeches are disappointing because they lacked the truth. We expect that the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers will speak the truth and talk about positive things (based on their constitutional positions),” she said.

(This report was published as part of the Syndicate’s auto-generated wire feed. Other than the headline, the copy has not been edited by ABP Live.)