PM harps on unity at Maharashtra poll rallies, slams Congress over Article 370

Solapur/Chimur/Pune, Nov 12 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday slammed the Congress for speaking the “language of Pakistan” by seeking restoration of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir, and said the party's 'shahi parivar' thinks it was born to rule India.

Addressing three rallies in a day during his whirlwind tour of Maharashtra just one week ahead of assembly polls, the BJP's star campaigner reiterated his 'ek hai toh safe hai' (we are safe if we are united) slogan and accused the Congress of seeking to divide Dalits, tribals and OBCs.

Taking a jibe at the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the main rival of the ruling Mahayuti front in the November 20 polls, Modi said there is constant infighting within the opposition bloc with everyone eyeing the driver's seat.

In his first rally of the day at Chimur in Chandrapur district, Modi said it has always been the mentality of the 'shahi parivar' (royal family) of the Congress that it was born to rule the country.

“This is the reason that after Independence, the Congress never allowed Dalits, backward classes and Adivasis to progress,” Modi said.

“The Congress gets irritated with (the topic of) reservations. In the 1980s, when Rajiv Gandhi led the party, it published an advertisement raising questions over the special rights enjoyed by Dalits, backward classes and adivasis,” he told the gathering.

This old advertisement has been shared on social media and it reflected that party’s anti-reservation attitude, he added.

“It is a dangerous game of the Congress to break your unity. If a tribal society gets divided into castes, its identity and strength will be lost. If we stay united, we will be safe. If you do not remain united, then the Congress will snatch away your reservation,” he cautioned.

Attacking the MVA alliance, Modi accused it of being the "biggest player of corruption" and stalling development in the state.

Modi said the MVA is detrimental to Maharashtra’s growth.

"Maharashtra’s rapid development is beyond the reach of the Aghadi. They have done a PhD in putting a brake on developmental works. The Congress has a double PhD in it,” he emphashsied.

On the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, which gave special status to J&K, Modi pointed out that it took seven decades to ensure the country had one Constitution.

“Will you allow the Congress and its allies to bring back Article 370. The Congress and its allies have been politically benefiting from violence and separatism. Just a few weeks ago, we saw what happened in Jammu and Kashmir (a reference to resolution seeking restoration of special status).

“This region has been burning for decades due to separatism and terrorism. The provision under which all this happened was Article 370. And this Article 370 was a legacy of the Congress. As soon as we abolished it, we fully integrated Kashmir with India and its Constitution," Modi said.

In his second rally at Solapur, the BJP stalwart said there is constant clash within the opposition MVA alliance, with everyone fighting for the driver's seat.

“You all are seeing how there is a stampede in the Aghadi. There is a tug-of-war going on in the Aghadi for the post of chief minister,” Modi said.

“One party remains busy the whole day in declaring its leader as the chief minister, while other parties and the Congress remain busy in rejecting its claim. Those whose condition is like this before the elections, they can never give a stable government to Maharashtra,” he said.

“For decades, the Congress governed the country but left many issues unresolved,” he said.

“In this region, Congress and its allies failed to address irrigation issues effectively. In contrast, we have focused on resolving these problems. Thanks to our efforts, the water table in several villages in Solapur is now rising,” the PM told the gathering.

In his third poll meeting in Pune, the BJP's star campaigner said Article 370 has been buried deep in the ground and there was no chance of it coming to life again.

Notably, during his 36-minute-long speech before a huge crowd in Pune, the home district of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Modi avoided any mention of the veteran politician and mostly targeted the Congress, a member of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

At a rally in Pune during the Lok Sabha polls, the PM had called Sharad Pawar a 'bhatakti aatma (wandering soul), comments which had reportedly upset Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, a BJP ally.

The BJP stalwart maintained the Constitution reached Jammu & Kashmir only when people gave him an opportunity to serve the country.

The Congress had created a big wall in the form of Article 370 in Kashmir because of which the Constitution could not reach the erstwhile state, he said.

Modi emphasised his government facilitated peace in the Valley and foiled the attempts of separatists to create unrest.

"For the last 70 years, this language was spoken only by Pakistan, but today the language which was spoken by Pakistan is now spoken by the Congress and its 'chatte-batte' (allies)," he said.

He asserted that neither the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (Maharashtra) nor any other part of the country would accept the restoration of Article 370.

Modi accused the Congress of seeking to divide communities.

"The Congress is pitting sub-castes of STs, SCs and OBCs against each other. By this, the Congress will first weaken them and later snatch their reservation. People must remain alert. We have to ensure that 'ek hai, toh safe hai," he said. PTI SPK VT RSY