Rahul Gandhi: PM Modi Represents a Corrupt System
The Congress leader asserted his fearlessness and encouraged the public to challenge the Modi government.
Initiating the campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the historic Shivaji Park in central Mumbai, Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader and Member of Parliament from Wayanad, asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi embodies a ‘system’ created by the BJP, enabling 20-25 corporate entities to dictate the country’s affairs as they please.
Addressing a crowd of around 70,000-80,000 individuals at the rally in Shivaji Park, which concluded the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ spanning 14 states, the Congress leader likened Modi to a mask, suggesting he assumes a role akin to a Bollywood actor on a daily basis. Joined by prominent leaders from the INDIA bloc, including Prakash Ambedkar, head of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), whose position within the alliance remained uncertain, Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, criticizing him on issues of corruption, electoral bonds, crony capitalism, and electronic voting machines (EVM).
“People may perceive our fight as directed against a political party or Narendra Modi himself. However, this isn’t accurate. The 20-25 corporations seeking control over the nation have crafted a persona under Modi’s name, embodying what we refer to as ‘shakti’ (power) in Hindu religion. Our battle is against this ‘shakti’,” he emphasized, highlighting that the Opposition’s struggle is aimed at challenging the ‘system’ established by the Modi administration.
Gandhi mentioned the Adani group as a major recipient of this ‘system’ and highlighted that the Mumbai airport was transferred to the group following the Modi government’s launch of an investigation against GVK, the airport’s previous operator, by the CBI.
The Member of Parliament from Wayanad criticized the Election Commission for allegedly operating under the sway of the same ‘system,’ as he dismissed the opposition’s request for cross-referencing votes cast through electronic voting machines (EVM) with the voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT).
“Narendra Modi cannot win elections without EVMs. We wanted the election commission to count the VVPAT but they refused to do it because the system doesn’t want it to be done,” he said.
Echoing accusations of corruption related to electoral bonds, he additionally stated, “Electoral bonds essentially operate as a nationwide extortion scheme carried out through four methods – by extracting a percentage from companies in exchange for awarding contracts; by employing intimidation tactics via entities like the ED, the CBI, and other central agencies; by securing kickbacks through shell companies; and by receiving payments subsequent to contract allocations.”
The Congress leader expressed his fearlessness and urged the public to resist the Modi government. “You all must rise – you are all ‘Bharat Mata’. I am prepared to fulfill your wishes and stand by you wherever you need me,” he stated, surrounded by a multitude of prominent leaders including DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, JMM leader and Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar, AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj, CPI (ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattarchaya, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and the entire top leadership of the party.
Speaking at the rally preceding Gandhi, Tejaswi Yadav, RJD leader and former deputy chief minister of Bihar, criticized Narendra Modi for propagating falsehoods and deceptive agendas. “We are not individuals who cower in fear; instead, we are here to advocate for the people. PM Modi is not only the creator but also the primary disseminator of false propaganda and deceit,” remarked Yadav.
Uddhav Thackeray, the chief of Shiv Sena (UBT), claimed that Narendra Modi’s sole family consisted of himself and the prime ministerial position. “PM Modi often accuses us of being family-centric parties. But I ask, who comprises Modi’s family? For him, it’s just himself and the prime ministerial seat,” he remarked. Thackeray further asserted that the BJP’s aim of securing over 400 seats was to establish a dictatorship in the country. He emphasized, “Dictatorship comes to an end when people unite. This time, it’s BJP’s turn to face resistance.”
Recalling the Quit India movement’s origin in Mumbai, NCP chief Sharad Pawar urged for the removal of the BJP from power.
“There’s a necessity for change. Those who deceived the nation with empty pledges must face consequences. Despite numerous assurances, none were fulfilled. Such individuals must be ousted – we will ensure this occurs in the upcoming months, so be ready,” expressed the seasoned leader.
Following Gandhi’s speech, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the Modi government for failing to fulfill any of its promises made over the past decade. He referred to the prime minister as the ‘Jhoothon Ka Sardar’ (leader of liars) and delivered a speech in Marathi lasting more than five minutes.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin hailed Gandhi as the prospective beacon of hope for the nation. “Unity is crucial for India. I commend Rahul Gandhi for his efforts in traversing every part of the country to foster unity among the people,” he remarked.
Farooq Abdullah, leader of the National Conference, advised voters to meticulously examine the VVPAT after casting their votes as EVMs have the potential to be manipulated.
VBA chief Prakash Ambedkar also voiced apprehensions regarding the utilization of EVMs, emphasizing that the VVPAT count ought to be regarded as conclusive. However, uncertainty persisted regarding VBA’s participation in the alliance, as Ambedkar stated in the presence of Gandhi and other prominent INDIA leaders, “Whether individually or collectively – our battle against the BJP is inevitable.”
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