INC has become Muslim League-Maoist Congress: PM

Attacking the Congress over its youth wing’s “shirtless protest” at the AI summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the Opposition party has become “Muslim League-Maoist Congress”, which does not let go of any opportunity to malign the country.

The Muslim League’s hatred towards India was the reason for the Partition and today, the Congress is acting in the same manner, Modi said at a rally at Kayad Vishram Sthal in Rajasthan’s Ajmer.

He was in Ajmer to lay the foundation stones of and inaugurate various development works worth over Rs 16,600 crore.

When the world praises India, it fills Indians with pride. The Congress, however, attempts to insult the nation on global platforms, the prime minister said.

“When the world speaks well of India, every Indian feels proud. But the Congress tried to create drama and defame the country before foreign dignitaries,” he said, referring to the “shirtless protest” by the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) at the recently concluded India AI Impact Summit in Delhi.

During the summit, IYC workers entered the venue on February 20 wearing or holding white T-shirts with images of Modi and US President Donald Trump printed on them, along with slogans such as “India-US Trade Deal”, “Epstein Files” and “PM is compromised”. The protesters also scuffled with security personnel and police staff deployed at the venue.

Several people, including IYC president Uday Bhanu Chib, were arrested in connection with the protest. Chib has been granted bail in the case.

“The Congress has been continuously losing (elections) across the country, and due to its anger, it is taking revenge by tarnishing India’s image,” Modi said.

There was a time when INC stood for the Indian National Congress, he said.

“The Indian National Congress no longer exists in that form. Today, it has become MMC — Muslim League-Maoist Congress,” he said.

History bears witness to the Muslim League’s hatred towards India. It was the reason behind India’s partition. Today, the Congress is doing the same, he said.

“Maoists, too, resent India’s prosperity, our Constitution, and our successful democracy. They carry out ambush attacks. Similarly, the Congress sneaks in anywhere it can to malign the nation. The country will never forgive such actions of the Congress,” he added.

The prime minister further said that defaming the country and weakening the armed forces has been an old habit of the Congress.

“The Congress had left our soldiers longing for weapons and uniforms. This is the same Congress that deprived the families of our soldiers of One Rank, One Pension for years, and during whose tenure major scams took place in defence deals with foreign countries,” he said.

In the past 11 years, Modi said, India’s armed forces have delivered strong blows to terrorists and the enemies of the nation on every front.

“Our Army has been victorious in every mission and every battlefield. From surgical strikes to Operation Sindoor, they have proven their bravery. But even in these matters, Congress leaders chose to promote the lies of the enemies,” he said.

“The Congress opposes everything that is good for the country and benefits the people of India. This is why the nation is teaching the Congress a lesson today,” he said.

During the Congress’s tenure, news of corruption and paper leaks were common in Rajasthan and farmers were deceived, Modi said.

The BJP’s “double-engine” Government in Rajasthan has completed two years and is taking the State on a new path of growth. “Now paper leaks have been curbed and strict action is being taken against the culprits,” he said.

In Ajmer, the PM inaugurated development projects worth over Rs 16,680 crore and launched a nationwide campaign for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for girls aged 14.

Modi said the projects will accelerate Rajasthan’s growth. He said before 2014, many women faced hardship and humiliation, while girls dropped out of school because of a lack of toilets and poor women could not afford sanitary pads.

“For us, the dignity and health of our sisters and daughters is a serious matter,” he said, adding that the BJP Government addressed these problems in mission mode.

Modi said the Government is also focusing on modern connectivity in Rajasthan and the expansion of infrastructure is increasing investment opportunities.

Referring to the development taking place around the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, he said efforts are being made to turn Rajasthan into a land of opportunities.

Rajasthan Governor Haribhau Bagade, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, senior BJP leader Vasudhara Raje, among others, attended the programme.

PM should not consider himself bigger than nation: Ashok Gehlot

Jaipur: Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks against the Congress in Ajmer as a reflection of “political frustration” and said the prime minister should not consider himself “bigger than the nation”.

PM Modi, addressing a public meeting in Kayad (Ajmer) earlier in the day, alleged that the Congress is no longer the Indian National Congress (INC) but has become “MMC -” “Muslim League-Maoist Congress”. He also claimed the party, facing repeated electoral defeats across the country, was venting its anger by “defaming” India.

Responding to the remarks, Gehlot said in a statement, “The comments made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the Congress in Ajmer today are a symbol of his political frustration.”

The former chief minister added that accusing the Congress, which has a glorious history, of dividing the country is not only laughable but also proof of “ideological bankruptcy”. “Modi ji, remember that opposing you is not opposing the nation. Do not make the mistake of considering yourself bigger than the country,” Gehlot said.

He alleged that it was “unfortunate” that a government platform was used for “narrow politics”. He said people expected the prime minister to respond to public welfare issues he had raised in a letter. “Do you not want the entire country to have the Right to Health like Rajasthan? Do you have no interest in path-breaking decisions such as the Gig Workers Welfare Act and the Urban Employment Guarantee?” he asked.

On the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP), Gehlot claimed that the BJP Government had only changed the project’s name without carrying out any substantial work. “The people of Rajasthan know the truth,” he said.

He further said that instead of politicising paper leak incidents, the prime minister should have appreciated the stringent law enacted in Rajasthan, which provides for life imprisonment, a fine of Rs 10 crore and confiscation of the guilty’s property. “Rather than misleading the youth, the Centre should talk about enacting such a strict law at the national level,” he said.

Gehlot also alleged that the BJP Government in the State had not shown the courage to investigate the alleged OMR sheet scam that took place during its tenure.

He accused the present State Government of discontinuing several schemes launched by his government and said, “It would have been better if you (PM Modi) had honoured your guarantee during the Assembly elections of not stopping the Congress Government schemes and directed the chief minister to resume the discontinued programmes. In Rajasthan, your ‘double engine’ slogan is proving to be ‘double zero’.