PM’s oblique dig at Congress President

Jammu, Sep 14: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday reserved his “potent verbal weapons” to target his and his party’s bête-noire - Congress and its leadership while seeking support of J&K people for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates.

While addressing his maiden election rally in Doda in J&K assembly elections 2024, he described Congress as the “most deceitful and dishonest political party of India and Congress’ Shahi (dynastic) family as the most corrupt family.”

He also directly targetted Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, though without taking his name as he stated, “See the Congress President’s arrogance as he said that they would have put Modi and all other BJP leaders in jail had they got twenty more seats in Lok Sabha polls. I want to ask if they desire to come to power to put Modi and other people in jail or want to serve the people of the country. What is your agenda? They are deceitful people. They talk of the constitution and in its garb resort to all unconstitutional activities.”

“They trade in hatred in their so-called “Mohabbat Ki Dukan.”  Jammu too has been a victim of their (Congress’) hate-politics. They have discriminated against Jammu. They have insulted Dogra Maharaja, which is an insult to the entire Dogra community. Remember it. On the other hand, we have been given a third consecutive term by people after six decades. But our aim is to serve people only unlike Congress,” PM Modi said.

He said that Congress ruined Himachal Pradesh by making false promises only to be in power. “You need to be aware of Congress and its allies who befooled people with their deceitful politics and brought miseries in the states ruled by them.”

PM Modi also referred to the incident of manhandling of a scribe of a national newspaper in the United States during a programme of Rahul Gandhi, AICC leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha. “This speaks of the double-speak, deceitful culture of Congress, which talks of the Constitution, democracy and freedom of speech and expression. His (Rahul’s) assertions are clear evidence of his deceitful intentions vis-a-vis reservations,” he mocked.

The Prime Minister cautioned that Congress and its ally National Conference were talking of restoration of Article 370 as they wanted to scrap reservation of Paharis, Dalits, Gujjars and deprive women, refugees and other sections of their rights.