Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh charged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in a confused state and his language indicates the ‘zehar’ (poison) being infused in public discourse by the ruling party.
“We are fighting this election to save the Constitution. We have given 5 ‘Nyays’ for Lok Sabha elections. We have also made 10 promises for Assembly elections,” ANI quoted Congress leader Jairam Ramesh as saying in an election rally in Odisha’s capital Bhubaneswar.
Also read: Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi files nomination from Varanasi
He further alleged that the PM has acknowledged the discontent among farmers, youth, laborers, women, and backward classes. “It is clear from PM Modi’s language that he is confused…Sometimes he talks about Hindu-Muslim, Muslim League, and Mangalsutra. He has realised that the farmers, youth, labourers, women and backward classes are upset with him. This election is extremely important for us. There is no ‘lehar’ only ‘zehar’ in the PM’s language,” Ramesh said.
Jairam Ramesh took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) urging PM Modi to answer queries regarding his failures in Varanasi before filing his nomination. The three questions put forth by the Congress leader are:
- “After spending ₹20,000 crore, why has the Ganga gotten dirtier?”
- “Why has the PM abandoned the Varanasi villages he had “adopted”?”
- “Why is the PM determined to destroy Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy in Varanasi?”
Also read: PM Modi in Varanasi LIVE: PM files nomination for Lok Sabha election
Jairam Ramesh alleged that PM Modi had pledged to clean the waters of the Holy Ganga when he visited Varanasi in 2014 and had said “Maa Ganga ne mujhe bulaya hain.” However, soon after coming to power, he rebranded the existing Operation Ganga as Namami Gange costing over Rs. 20,000 crore in 2024. He cited data to prove his claims about increasing pollution levels in the water of Ganga river.
His post read, “Outside the city of Varanasi lie 8 villages that have had the misfortune of being “adopted” by the outgoing PM. A March 2024 ground report found that despite big promises of “smart schools”, health facilities and housing, the villages have seen absolutely no progress in 10 years. “
Also read: PM Modi exhorts public to come and ‘vote in large numbers’ amid the ongoing Phase 4 of Lok Sabha Elections 2024
He accused PM Modi of following Godse’s ideology instead of the Mahatma’s, and charged that PM Modi was destroying the Sarwa Sewa Sangh, a Gandhian institute started by Acharya Vinobha Bhave. He alleged that the iconic campus was taken over by the Indian Railways in August 2023.
PM Modi filed his nomination papers from Varanasi Lok Sabha seat on May 14 in the presence of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and four mandated proposers.
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Published: 14 May 2024, 01:49 PM IST