Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Nanded, Maharashtra, On Saturday, ahead of the state elections, where he accused Congress of attempting to divide people along caste lines. He emphasized the slogan "We will be safe if we stay united," in stark contrast to the opposition's alleged "divide and perish" rhetoric. In response, Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and National President Mallikarjun Kharge, hit back at Modi’s remarks, defending their stance on caste-based census and reservations.
Rahul Gandhi criticized Modi for attempting to block a caste-based census, reaffirming the Congress-led 'India' alliance's commitment to conducting one. He also reiterated their pledge to increase the reservation cap beyond the current 50%. Speaking at a rally in Jharkhand, he promised to provide 28% reservation for tribals, 12% for Dalits, and 27% for backward classes. He stressed that a caste census is crucial for addressing the underrepresentation of backward groups in the nation’s development.
Further, Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of undermining the rights of tribals, referring to them as "forest dwellers" rather than acknowledging them as the rightful owners of land, water, and forests. He also attacked Modi for aligning with select industrialists and for his apparent disconnection from common people, contrasting this with Modi's avoidance of direct interactions with the public. Rahul highlighted how Modi’s policies have hurt the youth, women, and poor, citing the ongoing issues of unemployment and inflation.
At a rally in Amaravati, Maharashtra, Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the BJP for its divisive politics. He claimed the BJP was distracting the public with slogans like "divide and perish" and "united for safety" while attempting to replace the Constitution with the Manusmriti. Kharge argued that BJP ideologues had historically divided people into castes before the drafting of the Constitution.
He also dismissed the BJP’s claims of nationalism, noting that no BJP leader had made sacrifices comparable to those of Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi. Kharge emphasized that the Congress party had been instrumental in strengthening India’s unity and democracy.
Kharge also responded to Modi’s promise of providing two crore jobs annually, pointing to the country's growing youth unemployment crisis. He criticized the Modi government for failing to fulfill its promises to farmers, highlighting issues like low crop prices and the import of cotton and soybean oil, which resulted in a drop in prices for domestic farmers.
Kharge targeted the BJP-led coalition government in Maharashtra, accusing it of corruption and opportunism. He claimed that the Mahayuti coalition had undermined Maharashtra’s prosperity and made women feel unsafe in the state. He appealed to the public to vote for Congress and its allies in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, promising that they would restore the state's progress and development despite the BJP's aggressive campaigning.