Munger: Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves at supporters during a public meeting for Lok Sabha polls, in Munger, Friday, April 26, 2024. (Photo: PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that the Supreme Court judgement on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) was a “tight slap” to the Congress-led opposition which must “apologise” for committing the “sin” of creating distrust against EVMs.
The Prime Minister, who addressed back-to-back election rallies at Araria and Munger Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar, also charged the opposition with trying to “steal” reservations meant for OBCs, SCs and STs “for the sake of their favourite vote bank of Muslims”.
“When the Congress, the RJD and other INDI alliance parties were in power, the poor, backwards and Dalits used to be deprived of their votes through booth capture. With the introduction of Electronic Voting Machines, they are no longer able to play their old game. Hence, they committed the sin of creating distrust against EVMs,” alleged the Prime Minister in Araria.
“But today, the highest court of the land has delivered a verdict a few hours earlier which comes as a tight slap to these parties”, said Modi, referring to the judgement by which pleas seeking cross-verification of votes cast through EVMs with VVPAT have been rejected. He also accused the Congress of having “stolen” reservations meant for the OBCs and transferring the benefits to Muslims in Karnataka, where the party is in power and wanted to replicate the “conspiracy” in the rest of the country, including in Bihar where its ally RJD has “not spoken a word against” the move in the southern state.
Claiming that the previous government headed by Manmohan Singh had given its “assent” for reservations to Muslims, the Modi slammed the Congress and its “ecosystem” for “trying to browbeat me, without success”.
“I will not allow reservations meant for SCs, STs and OBCs to be diverted for vote bank politics. This is Modis guarantee”, he said.
Reiterating that the Congress manifesto bore “the imprint of Muslim League”, Modi said the party’s “injustice towards Hindus stands exposed”. He also coined a slogan Congress ki loot, zindagi ke saath bhi zindagi ke baad bhi, to allege that the opposition party wanted to rob people of their belongings during their lifetime and after their death, deprive their offspring of the same.
PM is scared, may even shed tears on stage: Rahul Gandhi
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his attack on the grand old party, saying he is scared and may even shed tears on the stage. “You have heard the Prime Minister’s speeches. He is scared. It’s possible that he may shed tears on stage,” Gandhi said addressing a public gathering in this district headquarters town in the party-governed State.
Modi has targeted the Congress on a variety of issues in recent campaign rallies, including “mangalsutra”, “redistribution of wealth” and “inheritance tax” charges. The former Congress chief accused Modi of ‘diverting public attention’ through various means.
First Published: Apr 27 2024 | 12:00 AM IST
