The Congress party on Tuesday responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remark in an interview where he stated that he has “never said a word against minorities,” with Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accusing the prime minister of losing his memory and not adhering to the truth. Ramesh criticized Modi, calling him “jhoothjeevi” (one who lives on lies), and claimed that Modi frequently contradicts himself and forgets his own statements.
Ramesh pointed out that during his Lok Sabha election campaigns, Modi has attacked the Congress party and made remarks about the Muslim community. He accused the prime minister of making divisive comments and targeting Congress with claims about the Muslim League, ‘mangalsutra,’ and religion-based reservations, which Ramesh labeled as bogus statements.
Regarding Modi’s assertion of winning a “record-breaking 400 seats” in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, Ramesh highlighted that Rajiv Gandhi won 410 seats in the 1984 elections, questioning the accuracy and intent behind Modi’s claim. He suggested that the BJP’s real aim is to alter the Constitution and remove reservations, which were put in place by Babasaheb Ambedkar.
Ramesh also criticized the Election Commission, accusing it of being silent and inactive regarding complaints against the prime minister’s speeches. He claimed that the Election Commission took 11 days to release voter turnout data after the first phase of voting, despite numerous complaints from the Congress party.
In his interview with PTI, PM Modi defended his position, stating that he has not spoken against minorities but rather against the Congress party’s vote bank politics. He emphasized that the BJP is not against minorities and accused the Congress of working against the Constitution by turning away from the principles established by its makers, including Ambedkar and Nehru. Modi reiterated that reservations should not be based on religion, and his critique was directed at Congress’s policies rather than any specific community.
