NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Congress-JMM (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha) alliance of creating a caste divide in the society by pitting the subgroups of the Other Backward Caste (OBC) against each other. Invoking a similar rhetoric as Yogi Adityanath's ' bantoge toh katoge', PM Modi called out for a united front for the underprivileged castes in Jharkhand with his slogan -- ' ek rahenge toh safe rahenge'.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge retorted saying that the country faced real threat from 'Modi and Shah' with their divisive language of 'katenge', 'batenge', and 'chhatenge'.
"OBC community got reservation in 1990. The numerical strength of different OBC castes got added together, since then Congress has not been able to win even 250 seats in the Lok Sabha till date. Therefore, Congress wants to break this collective power of OBC and by breaking this power, it wants to divide OBC into hundreds of different castes," PM Modi attacked the grand old party, which has been adamant over its demand for a caste survey in the country.
Read also: 'Ek hai toh safe hai', PM Modi’s new pitch after Yogi Adityanath's 'batenge toh katenge' slogan
"Congress has always been strongly opposed to the unity of SC/ST/OBC. After independence, as long as the SC society remained scattered, the ST society remained scattered, the OBC society remained scattered, the Congress continued to comfortably form governments at the Centre. But as soon as this community united... Congress again could not form its government at the Centre with absolute majority," he added.
'You divide country, we don't': Kharge retorts
Mallikarjun Kharge hit back at the saffron party calling out the 'sanyasi' politicians along with PM Modi and Amit Shah for using divisive language.
"You (BJP) divide the country in the name of caste and religion. We don't do it. We are trying to unite the people, and (former PM) Indira Gandhi sacrificed her life for this cause," Kharge said.
"If there is any threat to the country, then it is from RSS and BJP. If there is any threat to the safety of the country, then it is from Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. They start talking about 'katenge', 'Batenge', and 'Chhatenge' from the time they wake up in the morning," he added.
Earlier today, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had called upon the prime minister to answer questions regarding the promises made during 2014 assembly elections in the state including that of engineering colleges. He also asked "why has the PM denied Adivasis their religious identity and refused to enact the Sarna code?" PM Modi, however, made no comments on these issues.
Read also: 'Yogi ji's or Modi ji's?' Mallikarjun Kharge asks BJP to decide between 'batenge, katenge' and 'ek hai toh safe hai' slogans
"During his campaign for Jharkhand’s 2014 assembly elections, Mr. Modi had promised a range of industrial and educational projects, including a premier IT institution and several engineering colleges. However, only two institutions were ever established, NIELIT Ranchi and CIPET Khunti. These too, after 9 and 7 years respectively, do not have a permanent campus. Dr. Manmohan Singh’s Government, on the other hand, established high-quality institutions like IIM Ranchi and a Central University. Why has the non-biological PM failed to deliver the institutions he had promised ten years ago?" Ramesh questioned.
Addressing the poll-bound state in Bokaro, PM Modi, however, vowed to develop the state saying that "people who opposed creation of Jharkhand will never develop state." He accused Congress of not providing financial resources to the state when it was in power.
"Today, 10 years ago, from 2004 to 2014, there was a Congress government at the centre, Madam Sonia ji used to run the government and Manmohan Singh ji was made the Prime Minister. At that time, the Central Government had with great difficulty given Rs 80 thousand crores to Jharkhand in 10 years. After 2014, the government changed in Delhi, you gave your servant Modi a chance to serve and in the last 10 years we have given more than Rs 3 lakh crore to Jharkhand," he said.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge retorted saying that the country faced real threat from 'Modi and Shah' with their divisive language of 'katenge', 'batenge', and 'chhatenge'.
"OBC community got reservation in 1990. The numerical strength of different OBC castes got added together, since then Congress has not been able to win even 250 seats in the Lok Sabha till date. Therefore, Congress wants to break this collective power of OBC and by breaking this power, it wants to divide OBC into hundreds of different castes," PM Modi attacked the grand old party, which has been adamant over its demand for a caste survey in the country.
Read also: 'Ek hai toh safe hai', PM Modi’s new pitch after Yogi Adityanath's 'batenge toh katenge' slogan
"Congress has always been strongly opposed to the unity of SC/ST/OBC. After independence, as long as the SC society remained scattered, the ST society remained scattered, the OBC society remained scattered, the Congress continued to comfortably form governments at the Centre. But as soon as this community united... Congress again could not form its government at the Centre with absolute majority," he added.
'You divide country, we don't': Kharge retorts
Mallikarjun Kharge hit back at the saffron party calling out the 'sanyasi' politicians along with PM Modi and Amit Shah for using divisive language.
"You (BJP) divide the country in the name of caste and religion. We don't do it. We are trying to unite the people, and (former PM) Indira Gandhi sacrificed her life for this cause," Kharge said.
"If there is any threat to the country, then it is from RSS and BJP. If there is any threat to the safety of the country, then it is from Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. They start talking about 'katenge', 'Batenge', and 'Chhatenge' from the time they wake up in the morning," he added.
Earlier today, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had called upon the prime minister to answer questions regarding the promises made during 2014 assembly elections in the state including that of engineering colleges. He also asked "why has the PM denied Adivasis their religious identity and refused to enact the Sarna code?" PM Modi, however, made no comments on these issues.
Read also: 'Yogi ji's or Modi ji's?' Mallikarjun Kharge asks BJP to decide between 'batenge, katenge' and 'ek hai toh safe hai' slogans
"During his campaign for Jharkhand’s 2014 assembly elections, Mr. Modi had promised a range of industrial and educational projects, including a premier IT institution and several engineering colleges. However, only two institutions were ever established, NIELIT Ranchi and CIPET Khunti. These too, after 9 and 7 years respectively, do not have a permanent campus. Dr. Manmohan Singh’s Government, on the other hand, established high-quality institutions like IIM Ranchi and a Central University. Why has the non-biological PM failed to deliver the institutions he had promised ten years ago?" Ramesh questioned.
The non-biological PM is in Jharkhand today. Three questions he should answer before seeking a single vote -
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) November 10, 2024
1. Where is the Korba-Lohardaga and Chatra-Gaya railway lines?
The people of Lohardaga and Chatra have been demanding better rail connectivity for years as it would…
Addressing the poll-bound state in Bokaro, PM Modi, however, vowed to develop the state saying that "people who opposed creation of Jharkhand will never develop state." He accused Congress of not providing financial resources to the state when it was in power.
"Today, 10 years ago, from 2004 to 2014, there was a Congress government at the centre, Madam Sonia ji used to run the government and Manmohan Singh ji was made the Prime Minister. At that time, the Central Government had with great difficulty given Rs 80 thousand crores to Jharkhand in 10 years. After 2014, the government changed in Delhi, you gave your servant Modi a chance to serve and in the last 10 years we have given more than Rs 3 lakh crore to Jharkhand," he said.
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