NEW DELHI: In his third longish letter to PM Modi on Thursday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge taunted him for twisting the Congress manifesto that has "simple and clear gurantees" he has been misinterpreting due to "a lot of desperation and worry in you."
He posted on X that the voters are "intelligent enough to read and understand by themselves what the Congress has written in its manifesto and what guarantees we have promised." His letter comes as a rebuttal to Prime Minister Modi's letter to the BJP candidates, saying the language of such a letter "does not suit the office of the Prime Minister."
In his personalised letters, PM Modi asked BJP candidates to talk to voters about the “divisive” and “discriminatory” intention of the Congress and its allies in the INDIA bloc to “snatch” the SC, ST and OBC reservation and give it to “their vote bank” even though granting “reservation on religious grounds is unconstitutional”.
“From the tone and content of the letter, it seems that there is a lot of desperation and worry in you which is leading you to use language that does not suit the office of the Prime Minister. The letter makes it look like the lies in your speeches are not having the effect you intended and now you want your candidates to amplify your lies. Repeating a lie a thousand times will not make it the truth,” read the letter by Kharge.
On April 25, Kharge wrote to PM Modi saying he had been “misinformed on the Congress Nyay Patra” and also sought a meeting with him “in person to explain him our Manifesto, so that he doesn’t make any false statements in future”.
Kharge went on to explain his party's gurantees under different heads for youths, women, farmers, labourers and Hissedari. He also rebutted the PM's claim on reservation. “In your letter, you claim that reservation will be taken away from SC, ST and OBC and given to ‘our votebank’. Our vote bank is every Indian – the poor, the marginalised, the women, the aspirational youth, the labour class, the Dalits and the Adivasis. Everyone knows it is the RSS and BJP who opposed reservations at every stage since 1947. Everyone knows it is the RSS and BJP which wants to change the Constitution to end reservation. Your leaders have openly spoken about it. You need to clarify why you are opposed to reservation to SC, ST and OBCs on the basis of their population as per Article 16 of our Constitution.”
The Congress president also hit out at PM Modi over his allegations of “wealth redistribution” policies that the Congress would bring in if it is voted to power. “In your letter, you have said people’s hard-earned money will be snatched and given away. I would like to take this opportunity to request you to direct your party to return the Rs 10 crore that were swindled from the poor Dalit farmers in Gujarat and given as electoral bonds to BJP. Your party amassed Rs 8,250 crore through the ‘illegal and unconstitutional’ Electoral Bonds from various companies using Chanda Do-Dhanda Lo, Theka Lo-Ghoos Do, Hafta Vasooli and Farzi company routes and schemes. Out of the 8,250 crore, you can return at least Rs 10 crore to this Dalit family.”
“Your letter lies that Congress wants to bring Inheritance Tax when it is your former Finance Minister and your party leaders who have repeatedly mentioned they want Inheritance Tax. People can see these speeches and comments of your leaders online,” Kharge’s letter said.
Kharge said the Congress manifesto “speaks of Nyay and how we will bring growth for all sections of the society”. “It is better as the Prime Minister if you seek votes on the performance of your government over the last ten years instead of indulging in hate speeches. The Congress Party would like to challenge you or anyone you depute to debate with us on our manifesto and the points you have made,” Kharge wrote in his letter.
Also targeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Kharge said they know Shah says that “Congress is practising appeasement politics”. “The only appeasement policy that we have seen in the last 10 years is the appeasement of Chinese by you and your ministers. Even today, you refuse to call China as ‘Ghuspaithiye’, instead on June 19, 2020, you said “Na Koi Ghusa Hai, Na Hi Koi Ghus Aaya hai”, insulting the supreme sacrifice of 20 Indian soldiers in Galwan. Your public ‘Clean Chit’ to China, has weakened India’s case and made it more belligerent,” he said.
The Congress president also talked about his previous letter to PM Modi. Kharge said he wrote in his last letter, “… when the elections are over, people will only remember you as the Prime Minister who indulged in divisive and communal speeches filled with lies to avoid an inevitable defeat”.
