At Delhi rally, Mallikarjun Kharge targets BJP, Centre over ‘divisive’ politics

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday accused the BJP of targeting mosques, criticised the proposed Waqf Bill, pledged to increase reservation beyond the 50% cap and undertake caste census if his party returns to power in his speech during a well-attended rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan. He also gave a concerted call to save the Constitution and to do away with the EVMs.

The rally was organised by the Udit Raj-led Dalit-OBC-Minorities-Adivasi (DOMA) Parisangh, where Kharge accused the PM Modi-led NDA government of spreading hatred and discrimination on caste lines. On the stage, there were big hoardings proclaiming “Samvidhan Bachao” and “EVM Hatao”. “I am happy that today Dalits, OBCs, minorities and tribals have gathered here. If we want to achieve something, there should be unity. We need to be united from Kanyakumari to Kashmir… Now you don’t have to fight for just yourself but also for saving the organisations and the Constitution,” Kharge said in his address. “If the Constitution is not saved, we will not survive either. That is why we must stay united and protect it. This democracy is a gift from Babasaheb Ambedkar, but many of you are not ready to safeguard it or even think about its importance…,” he added.

In his address, Kharge criticised PM Modi and the BJP for their “biased approach” on the basis of caste and religion. “Modiji leaves no stone unturned in discriminating between castes,” he said. Kharge also accused the BJP of manipulating EVMs.“BJP talks about its morality but does immoral things. It steals your votes through EVMs,” he said.

Story continues below this ad

Read | BJP not heeding Bhagwat’s mandir-masjid advice: Kharge

He also reiterated his party’s commitment to conducting a caste census and increasing the reservation limit beyond 50%.

He accused the BJP of attempting to divide the society by holding surveys at every mosque in the country and said by doing so, the saffron party is disregarding the advice of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. “In May 2022, Mohan Bhagwat had said that building the Ram Temple was their only motive and that finding Shivling under every mosque is not… now, surveyors are going everywhere, saying that this was a temple earlier…,” he said, adding, “go and destroy the Qutub Minar because it was also built by Muslims, go and break the Taj Mahal…and the Charminar in Hyderabad”.

He concluded his speech by calling himself a proud Hindu with secular values.