Observing a fast at various centres across the country to protest the washout of the Budget Session of Parliament, the BJP accused the Congress of indulging in the politics of division and anti-development.
Apart from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party President Amit Shah, Union Cabinet Ministers, MPs, Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled States, and MLAs of the party observed the day-long fast.
Inaugurating a sit-in at Dharwad in Karnataka, party president Amit Shah accused the Congress of trying to defame the Centre. “Whenever it is out of power, the Congress conspires against the government. This has been the history of the Congress,” Shah said.
“Congress party does not believe in democracy. It has held democracy hostage in its own household. Congress neither has internal party democracy nor can they save democracy in the country,” he added.
Shah said Congress president Rahul Gandhi was trying to divide the society. “Rahul Gandhi’s politics of dividing the society will kill democracy. People will not allow this and the voters in Karnataka will give him a befitting reply,” the BJP chief added.
“The Congress knew very well that they cannot debate in any of the Houses so they did not let the Parliament function. The BJP was left with no choice but to go to the people as it is the biggest forum for us,” Shah said.
The Prime Minister attended his office and several programmes in Tamil Nadu during the day, even while observing the fast. Home Minister Rajnath Singh also attended his office in North Block. Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Prakash Javadekar, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Nadda were in Varanasi, Modi’s constituency. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad attended the programme in Patna. Sitharaman was in Chennai and Javadekar addressed party workers in Benguluru. Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh was in Motihari, Steel Minister Birender Singh in Jind, and Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu was in Delhi.