Modi interested only in becoming PM: Rahul

A no-holds-barred exchange on Monday had Congress President Rahul Gandhi mounting a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi who, he said, was only interested in becoming PM regardless of how bad his track record is.

Gandhi’s assertions during the Congress’s “Save the Constitution Day” invited a counter-offensive from BJP President Amit Shah, who said that all that the Congress President was interested in is to “save the dynasty” and turn his “Modi hatred” into “India hatred”.

Rahul launches broadside

The Congress President, whose party’s bid to oust the Chief Justice of India (CJI) failed on Monday with the Rajya Sabha Chairman rejecting the motion for impeachment, was in full-throttle, accusing the BJP and the PM of “packing institutions with RSS mindset” and “undermining every democratic institution” in his quest for seizing power again. “The country can burn, girls may be raped and the rights of Scheduled Castes and minorities be under constant threat. But all that Modiji is merely interested in is becoming PM again,” said Gandhi in the backdrop of various protests around the issues of Dalit rights and women’s safety with rape cases in Kathua and Unnao stirring countrywide demonstrations.

Modi’s earlier slogan of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ (Save daughters, educate them) had become Beti bachao from the BJP and its leaders, said Gandhi.

The Congress President said Constitutional values had been endangered under the Modi government. “Institutions such as the Supreme Court are being trampled on and Parliament had been shut down by the government,” said Gandhi, claiming that if he was allowed to speak for 15 minutes on a host of issues, including the Nirav Modi scam, Modi would “run away”. Quoting from what he described as a statement by Modi, the Congress leader said the Prime Minister saw spirituality in sanitation work undertaken by Dalits. But people know there was no place for the community, weaker sections of society and women in his heart, Gandhi added.

Attacking the PM on employment and other promises made by him before the last Lok Sabha polls, Gandhi said Modi would now come up with new promises for votes. Only the Congress was capable of addressing the problems facing the country, he said. The country will do its ‘Mann ki baat’ in the next elections, Gandhi said, playing on the title of the PM’s monthly radio address.

Amit Shah hits back

Hitting back at Gandhi, BJP President Amit Shah said the ‘Save the Constitution’ campaign is an exercise to save the Gandhi dynasty. Shah said if there is one political party that has trampled over the Constitution in letter and spirit, time and again, it is the Congress.

He made a mention of the Congress’ move to impeach the Chief Justice of India and said it is part of a trend to demonise and weaken every institution that seeks to maintain its individual identity and does not “kowtow to the dynasty”. “Those who do not trust the Army, the judiciary, the Supreme Court, the Election Commission, EVMs, the RBI are now saying democracy is in danger.

India has a vibrant democracy and a vibrant Constitution. The Congress’ ‘Save the Constitution’ campaign is nothing but a farce that seeks to perpetuate the rule of dynasty over the rule of democracy. Like in the past, we need to protect the Constitution from the Congress,” Shah said.

When Gandhi says the Congress made the Constitution, he is continuing his family legacy of humiliating Bhimrao Ambedkar, Shah said. “By repeatedly saying the Congress made the Constitution, Rahul Gandhi is carrying forward his family tradition of insulting Ambedkar. The Nehru-Gandhi family insulted him when he was alive and is humiliating him even more now. Shameful and petty,” the BJP chief added.