NEW DELHI: Upping the ante against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday accused the leader of using divisive language during the Lok Sabha Elections campaign. Kharge alleged that PM Modi mentioned ‘mandir-masjid‘ and other divisive topics 421 times during his election campaign, despite the Election Commission’s guidelines prohibiting appeals for votes based on caste and religion.
The Congress chief said that the Prime Minister during his last 15 days of campaigning mentioned his own name 758 times, the grand old party’s name 232 but ‘failed’ to talk about unemployment even once.
“This election for the 18th Lok Sabha will be remembered for a long time because, in this election, every citizen of the country has come together to save democracy and the Constitution, forgetting caste, creed, religion, region, gender, language. The PM and leaders of the BJP made countless efforts to mislead the people on religious and divisive issues. Despite this, the people chose issues and we asked for votes on issues,” Kharge said addressing a press conference.
Kharge also criticised PM Modi for his remarks in an interview where the PM said, “No one knew about Mahatma Gandhi until the movie was made,” saying that the Prime Minister “may not have studied about Gandhi.”
“Yesterday, PM Modi told the world that he got to know about Mahatma Gandhi after watching the film by Richard Attenborough. I feel like laughing when I hear the prime minister say this. Had he read about Mahatma Gandhi, he wouldn’t have said so,” the Congress president said.
“When PM Modi gets free time after June 4, he must read Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography,” he added.
Addressing the grand old party’s chances in the Lok Sabha elections Kharge said the Congress-led INDIA bloc will form a government with a ‘clear majority’.
“We are confident that people will give a mandate for an alternative government on June 4,” the Congress chief said, adding that the people have endorsed “our view that if this government gets another chance, it will be end of democracy.”
(With inputs from agencies)
The Congress chief said that the Prime Minister during his last 15 days of campaigning mentioned his own name 758 times, the grand old party’s name 232 but ‘failed’ to talk about unemployment even once.
“This election for the 18th Lok Sabha will be remembered for a long time because, in this election, every citizen of the country has come together to save democracy and the Constitution, forgetting caste, creed, religion, region, gender, language. The PM and leaders of the BJP made countless efforts to mislead the people on religious and divisive issues. Despite this, the people chose issues and we asked for votes on issues,” Kharge said addressing a press conference.
Kharge also criticised PM Modi for his remarks in an interview where the PM said, “No one knew about Mahatma Gandhi until the movie was made,” saying that the Prime Minister “may not have studied about Gandhi.”
“Yesterday, PM Modi told the world that he got to know about Mahatma Gandhi after watching the film by Richard Attenborough. I feel like laughing when I hear the prime minister say this. Had he read about Mahatma Gandhi, he wouldn’t have said so,” the Congress president said.
“When PM Modi gets free time after June 4, he must read Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography,” he added.
Addressing the grand old party’s chances in the Lok Sabha elections Kharge said the Congress-led INDIA bloc will form a government with a ‘clear majority’.
“We are confident that people will give a mandate for an alternative government on June 4,” the Congress chief said, adding that the people have endorsed “our view that if this government gets another chance, it will be end of democracy.”
(With inputs from agencies)