Congress MP Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday at an election rally in Amravati, Maharashtra. Comparing him with U.S. President Joe Biden, who is infamous for gaffes through his tongue, Gandhi said that Modi at 74 is showing symptoms of losing memory.
Associating an incident with Biden, 81, who mistaken referred to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as Russian President Vladimir Putin, Gandhi believed that something of this sort could be applicable to the Modi speeches, too. “My sister mentioned hearing Modi Ji’s speech, and in that speech, it seemed like he was repeating things we’ve been saying for years. Maybe he is forgetting,” Gandhi said.
He further linked Modi’s remarks to those events when the leadership needs reminding of what it says or does, saying, “Just like Biden needed prompting, our Prime Minister appears to be forgetting.”
Allegations Of Contradictions In Modi’s Speeches
Gandhi also alleged that Modi is repeating allegations he has been raising for months. He quoted Modi’s latest saying that Congress is attacking the Constitution, which the latter claimed and contradictions the position of which Modi had adopted earlier.
“For over a year, I have been saying how the BJP is derailing the Constitution. Today, Modi Ji is accusing Congress of it. It seems that he felt people were noting it down and so changed the narrative.
#WATCH | Amravati, Maharashtra: Congress MP and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi says, “My sister was telling me that she heard Modi ji’s speech. And in that speech, whatever we say, Modi ji is saying the same thing these days. I don’t know, maybe he has lost his memory. The former… pic.twitter.com/bsF0wQ0KpO
— ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2024
Reservation Cap And Caste Census Debate
Rahul Gandhi also reiterated his stance on scrapping the 50% reservation cap, with which Congress-led INDIA bloc and BJP have clashed. Even claimed that Modi govt distorted previous statements; said, “I clarified in Lok Sabha that the Congress and the INDIA bloc support scrapping the 50% cap on reservations. Still, Modi Ji falsely claims I oppose reservations.”
The Congress leader again used the opportunity to plead for the caste census at a pan-India level. “I requested Modi Ji to hold a caste census so that the country can understand the representation of Dalits, Adivasis, and OBCs. But I expect that in his next speech, he will point a finger at me for opposing the caste census too,” he added.
Maharashtra Polls In Focus
The rally was also a strategic attempt by Congress to consolidate its bargaining power in the campaign for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. Congress is looking to regain lost ground against the ruling Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), and Ajit Pawar’s NCP as part of the Opposition’s MVA.
With 288 Maharashtra Assembly seats set to be thrown open on November 20, the Congress would look to capitalize on recent gains in order to position itself as a formidable opposition force in the state.
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