Modi pitting Hindus against Muslims: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader says BJP trying to make ‘two separate Indias’.

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi alleged on Monday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is leading the NDA, is trying to make “Hindus fight against Muslims” and also seeking to create two Indias, Indian media reported.

“The BJP people are trying [to] make Hindus fight Muslims,” Rahul said while addressing a rally in Telangana.

With reference to Narendra Modi, Rahul said, “Opposition parties want only chosen businessmen and chosen industrialists to become rich, with no benefits to the rest of the nation.

“They want to create two Indias — one for the rich and another for the poor. One India for chosen businessmen and another India for farmers, workers, dalits, adivasis and minorities,” he said. He added that Congress wants an India where everybody, including the poor, farmers, workers, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians benefit.

He said the country has witnessed maximum economic growth during the 10-year rule of the UPA and a total of 15 crore people were lifted from the BPL level. “We have achieved not just economic progress but have lifted 15 crore people out of poverty. How did they come out of poverty? We gave guaranteed job cards,” he said.



Recalling that the UPA government had initiated landmark poverty-alleviation and development programmes like Right to Education and Food Security, Rahul said, “If voted to power, the UPA would ensure housing for all and provide free medicines and operations at free-of-cost for the poor”.

Accusing the opposition parties of stalling the Women’s Reservation Bill when it was introduced by Congress in Lok Sabha, Rahul said, “The first task of the UPA government when it regains power this year is to pass this legislation”.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2014.