BJP leaders trying to project Modi as 11th avatar of Lord Vishnu: Kharge

“In Hindu dharma, we have heard about 10 ‘avatars’ (incarnations) of Lord Vishnu like Ram, Krishna, Vaman, Parsuram and others. There is a bid to project Modi as the 11th avatar of Vishnu,” the Congress chief said.

Kharge warned that if people did not vote wisely, the Constitution and democratic values would be left in danger and future generations would not look back kindly upon the current one.

Kharge criticised both the BJP and Odisha’s ruling BJD, saying both had been helping each other, but now the BJP appears to have turned on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

“The 25 years of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s government coupled with Modi’s 10 years have completely destroyed Odisha, which was otherwise so rich in resources. Now, the same BJP leaders who praised Naveen are making fun of him, which is an insult to Odisha.”

He said that the state had progressed during the Congress regime at the Centre, with engineering and medical colleges coming up along with public sector organisations. He said CM Patnaik had turned the state, which was rich in resources, into the poorest state in the country, forcing its people to migrate to other parts in search of jobs.

Kharge also reiterated the major guarantees the INDIA bloc would implement if it came to power at the Centre. He said that the five kg free ration, which is being provided under the National Food Security Act brought by the UPA government in 2013, would be doubled to 10 kg.

He said every poor family will receive Rs 8,500 every month and minimum daily wages will be increased to Rs 400 from Rs 250. He said all fresh graduates will be entitled to one-year apprenticeship during which they will get Rs 1 lakh. For farmers, he said, their debts will be waived and they will be given legal guarantee for the MSP.