Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday accused the ruling BJP of reneging on its pre-poll promises and asked people to remain united in the fight to protect their ‘jal, jungle and zameen’ (water, forest, land).
He alleged the BJP was trying to intimidate “everyone” in the country and misusing central probe agencies against its opponents.
Speaking at a public rally titled, ‘Jai Jawan-Jai Kisan-Jai Samvidhan’ at Science College Ground in Raipur amid heavy rains, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha claimed the poor are being “looted” under the Modi government.
Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kharge said he has time to visit foreign nations, but has no time to tour Manipur, which has seen ethnic clashes since May 2023.
“The BJP has been trying to intimidate our leaders using central agencies like the ED and I-T, but we will never be scared. Our party leaders in Chhattisgarh, including former chief minister (Bhupesh Baghel), are being harassed (using probe agencies),” he told the gathering.
“They (BJP) also tried to implicate (Congress leaders) Sonia Gandhi and Rahul ji in the National Herald case. They always try to defame the Congress,” Kharge maintained.
The BJP makes lots of promises before polls, but forgets them after coming to power, the Congress president averred.
“It is their habit to intimidate everyone. You will survive only when you will not be scared. If we want to protect our jal, jungle, zameen (water, forest, land) then you all have to be united in the fight against them (BJP),” he insisted.
“Today, people like Adani and Ambani have been coming here (Chhattisgarh) and occupying land. They are felling lakhs of trees (in forests for mines). Modi ji has been destroying the lives of our tribal brothers and the people of Chhattisgarh,” the Congress leader alleged.
“Why is (Union Home Minister Amit Shah) Shah visiting Chhattisgarh again and again? Is this your in-laws’ place? The chief minister of Chhattisgarh follows their instructions (PM and Home Minister). If they say get up, he gets up. If they said sit, he sits. It is a big betrayal for the self-respect of Chhattisgarh. It is a big insult,” he said.
Lots of industrialists are coming only to “loot” coal and other mineral deposits in the state and they are not concerned about its people, the Congress president emphasised.
“Modi ji and Shah ji have been supporting them (industrialists). Shah has been visiting here to check out for minerals,” he claimed. (Agencies)
