NASHIK/CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: Congress MP and LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday that PM Narendra Modi has “never read the Indian Constitution and, hence, does not know its contents”.
Gandhi’s statement comes amid BJP’s attack over the red cover of the copy of the Constitution that Rahul has been carrying at his poll campaign rallies. Congress’ star campaigner held multiple election rallies in north Maharashtra and Marathwada on Thursday.
In a rally in Marathwada’s Nanded, Gandhi also raised the issue of industrialist Gautam Adani’s alleged role in bringing down the MVA govt for purpose of bagging Mumbai’s Dharavi redevelopment project. “Your govt was stolen and snatched away. Do you think Modi was not involved? Their alliance partner (Ajit Pawar) said the meeting that took place to bring down MVA govt was attended by Adani. Why was Adani sitting in a political meeting? He only attended the meeting because he wanted Dharavi,” Gandhi said.
Addressing an election rally in tribal-dominated Nandurbar earlier in the day, Gandhi said: “The PM has been criticising me for flaunting a blank red-coloured copy of the Constitution in my rallies. He has been claiming that the book is bereft of any content. I want to tell the PM that the book’s colour is immaterial. Our PM thinks the book is blank since he has never read the Indian Constitution. The book may be blank for Modi, but it contains the thoughts of great personalities like Birsa Munda, Gautam Buddha, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, Mahatma Phule and Mahatma Gandhi.”
He said Modi must remember that the book is the soul of India. “When the PM says the book is blank, he insults these great personalities whose thoughts are there in this book,” Gandhi added.
He said the Nov 20 assembly election in Maharashtra is a fight between two contrasting ideologies. “The ideology of INDIA bloc is to safeguard the Constitution and govern the country based on the Constitution. Our fight is to protect our Constitution. The present governing dispensation does not believe in these things,” he said.
Speaking about Maharashtra, Rahul Gandhi said the PM will be giving the land of the Dharavi slum, worth Rs 1 lakh crore, to Adani. “PM also waived the loans of industrialists to the tune of Rs 16 lakh crore,” he said.
“There is widespread unemployment and inflation, but Adani and Ambani are not at a loss. Their wealth is increasing as they are acquiring airports, ports, roads, and now Dharavi. The common man, farmers, & unemployed youth bear the brunt,” he added.