LokSabha 2019: Sharma targets Modi over his caste remark

PUNE: Senior Congress leader and party spokesperson Anand Sharma on Thursday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government saying Modi is the first prime minister of India, who is seeking votes on the basis of caste, religion and the Armed Forces.

Sharma was in the city for the poll campaign of Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)-led Grand Alliance candidate Mohan Joshi.

Addressing a press conference, Sharma referred to PM Modi’s speech at a rally in Akluj on Wednesday, in which Modi made a caste remark. Sharma said, “The Congress has never sought votes on the basis of caste or religion. The then prime minister Indira Gandhi led the 1972 war and Bangladesh became independent. Congress never took mileage on this issue in any election, whereas Modi and the BJP are taking advantage of the doubtful surgical strike and seeking votes.”

Commenting on the patriotism issue, Sharma said, “Former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives for the nation. The Gandhi family is still serving the country. Prime Minister Modi should tell us which BJP leader and their family have sacrificed their lives for the country. So, Modi should not teach us patriotism and national security.”

“In 2014, PM Modi made tall promises to the people and came in power. But he failed to fulfil them. Modi assured to deposit Rs15 lakh in every Indian’s bank account. He had promised to provide two crore employment to the youth. Now, he is bypassing these issues. The country is going through a crisis. There is no employment for the youth. The economic growth of the country has stopped. Farmers are in distress. Modi came to power by giving tall promises in 2014. And now, he will go away from power by giving speeches in 2019 elections,” said Sharma. 

“The PM called his decision to implement the GST as ‘the second freedom fight’. But actually, the way the tax is implemented would do more harm than good. The gross domestic product (GDP) has gone down by around 2 per cent. Workers in the unorganised sector have suffered too,” Sharma said.