Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and accused them of wanting only a select few to receive all benefits. Speaking at a public rally in Maharashtra's Sangli, Congress MP & LoP Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi said, "Congress' ideology is in the DNA of Maharashtra. Earlier, there used to be politics, but today there is an ideological fight in India. We want social progress but they (BJP) want that only a select few to get all benefits."
Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue, Rahul Gandhi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise not just to Shivaji Maharaj but also to every person in Maharashtra. "I give you a guarantee that Kadam ji's (late Congress minister Patangrao Kadam) statue installed will be here even after 50-70 years....Shivaji Maharaj's statue was installed but only a few days later the statue fell. This is an insult to Shivaji Maharaj. The PM should apologise not just to Shivaji Maharaj but also to every person of Maharashtra," he said.
"BJP is spreading hatred in every corner of the country. This is not a new thing, they have been doing this for centuries. This battle of ideology is an old one. Today this fight is between BJP and Congress. Earlier this fight was fought by Shivaji Maharaj and Phule ji. If you read Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shahuji Maharaj, Phuleji, Ambedkarji, then you will know that the ideology of all of them and the ideology of Congress is the same," he added. Earlier today, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi unveiled the statue of late Congress leader Patangrao Kadam in Maharashtra's Sangli district.
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On August 26, a 35-foot-tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Sindhudurg district collapsed. It was unveiled on December 4 last year as part of Navy Day celebrations and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Gandhi also reiterated his party's and INDIA bloc's stance on the caste census, promising that they would implement it if elected. "I have said on the floor of Lok Sabha that Congress will get caste census done. Our alliance will get it done," he said.