Mallikarjun Kharge: ‘My people still not allowed in temples… if I went to Ayodhya, would they have tolerated it?’

Kharge also rubbished Modi’s “400 paar” campaign pitch, and said his dream of a third term would not be fulfilled as people are yearning for a “change”. Warning against another term, he said BJP leaders were already talking about changing the Constitution.

Asked whether he, with the benefit of hindsight, thought the Congress should have participated in the Ram Temple consecration, Kharge said: “That is personal faith. Whosoever wants, they can go on that day, next day or any day… He (Modi) is not a pujari. Why should he take the lead in performing, establishing the Ram idol… He just (did it) for political purposes. One-third of the temple is not completed… Is it a political function or a religious function? Why are you mixing religion with politics?”

“My people are still not allowed today in all the temples. Leave Ram Mandir, anywhere you go, there is a fight for entry… small temples in a village, they don’t allow. You don’t allow drinking water, you don’t allow educational institutions, you don’t tolerate even a bridegroom who goes in a procession on a horse… people pull them and beat them. Keeping a moustache… tell them to clean it. So you expect me… If I go, would they have tolerated it,” said Kharge, who belongs to the Scheduled Caste community.

“Or they could have invited other people also along with me. Saying is one thing, that is for election propaganda… It is not a party function. It is purely a religious function and it is the people who have got faith, it is their function. And they could have gone. I don’t have any animosity with any people. We have got 33 crore gods and goddesses. If they allow my people to worship, we will worship all 33 crore gods and goddesses,” Kharge said.

“This is my fate. Why did you not allow (President Droupadi) Murmu along with the Prime Minister? She is the first citizen of this country. You didn’t allow (her). At the same time, the inauguration of (the new) Parliament (building)… you did not allow her to come there and inaugurate it. (Former president Ram Nath) Kovind… he was there… a Scheduled Caste man as President. You did not allow him to lay the foundation stone of the Parliament (building). If other community people would have been there, you would have never violated these rules. Because they are Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe — and you talk much about this, talk about our rights — you humiliate, and you tell everybody that Congress people did not come,” he said.

Kharge said the Congress had told its people that “jiski aastha hai, definitely jao. Hum jo jis waqt jana hain, us waqt jayenge (Those who have faith should definitely go. We will go at a time of our choosing). But my problem is that my people are not allowed anywhere. My people are humiliated, crushed, exploited. Toh isliye jab tak unko real azadi nahi milegi, tab tak main kaha jau (Till they get real freedom, where can I go).”

On Modi’s “400 paar” campaign, Kharge said: “It is difficult to believe whatever Modiji says. Prime Ministers before him never used to utter lies and give such exaggerated figures. He is saying ‘400 paar’. It is good that he is not saying ‘600 paar’ because the strength of our Parliament (Lok Sabha) is 543. Otherwise, he would have said ‘600 paar’.”

“But his dream will not come true. We are collecting the numbers required to prevent him and we will show him that it is not the Opposition but the people of this country who want change. The people are unhappy. He used to hold one or two meetings in a state, ab toh galli galli phirna pad raha hai (now he has to hit the streets). He is present even to garland and welcome a corporator, (he) is amassing all those people who he had once called corrupt… So you can well imagine the nervousness of the BJP. Modi himself is nervous. INDIA bloc will secure good numbers and that number would be enough to defeat him,” Kharge said.

Asked about the Opposition’s apprehensions regarding a third term for Modi, Kharge said: “There is a danger. Even before coming to power, they are saying that ‘give us two-thirds majority… so that we will change the Constitution’. I am not saying this. Their MP (Anantkumar) Hegde said (it), RSS chief said (it), many MPs from UP (said it). Their candidates are openly advocating (this)… And Modiji is silent… why is he not taking action? Why are these people not expelled from the party, denied tickets? If somebody talks against the Constitution, you consider them as anti-nationals. But Modi is not taking action against those who are talking about replacing the Constitution or changing it.”

“This is a conspiracy to crush the weaker sections, women… And we will not accept this,” he said.