RAIPUR: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday asserted that the ongoing Lok Sabha polls are not ordinary elections but meant to stand up to protect the Constitution, democracy, reservations, public sector undertakings and the rights of the poor. Seeking support in a rally for the party candidate in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur seat, he said that the Constitution is not just a book but ensures the rights of the people, particularly the poor, Dalits, tribals, and the backward.
“While BJP and RSS want to abolish the Constitution, the Congress is committed to safeguarding it. Many BJP leaders had said that if they retain power, the Constitution and reservation will be abolished. Without the Constitution nothing (rights or voices) will remain for the poor, Dalits, and tribals”, he claimed.
He further promised to remove the 50% quota cap if the Congress is voted to power at the Centre. Gandhi dared the BJP leaders to pledge they will not privatise PSUs, will end the system of contract workers, and waive off farmers’ loans.
“They will never do so because their ideology is not those of Ambedkarji, Gandhiji and Nehruji but instead to help only select 20-22 billionaires. People of India have now understood that the BJP and PM Mod intend to put an end to the Constitution. When we used to talk about it earlier, not many believed us”, he said.
He said that eventually the people have realised that the attack by the BJP is on the democracy, Constitution, reservations, PSUs and now the present elections have turned into contests for safeguarding them.
“Earlier PM Modi said ‘400 paar’ but now not saying beyond 150 as the people have come to realise that the Constitution will be changed or eliminated by them..,” he said.
The third phase polling in Chhattisgarh will cover the remaining seven Lok Sabha seats on May 7.