Cong accuses BJP-RSS of oppressing marginalised, rejecting Constitution
New Delhi, June 7 (UNI) The Congress on Saturday accused the BJP-RSS of oppressing the weak and marginalised over the past decade and rejecting the principles enshrined in the Constitution of Baba Saheb Ambedkar.
Speaking to media, senior Congress leader Jignesh Mevani said, "For the past 10 years, RSS-BJP members have consistently inflicted atrocities on the weak and marginalized. Among those who believe in the Indian Constitution, there is no doubt that Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, the BJP, and the RSS do not follow the Constitution of Baba Saheb Ambedkar. Instead, they follow the Manusmriti."
He further alleged that several leaders from the BJP and RSS have, in the past, openly stated that Ambedkar's Constitution should be discarded. "They don't want the Constitution of India — they want the Manusmriti," he said.
Mevani said, "From the tragic suicide of Rohith Vemula, the denial of dignity to the Hathras victim and her family, the brutal assault on Dalit youth in Una, Gujarat, and a controversial remark by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who once said in Parliament, 'Chanting Ambedkar-Ambedkar has become a fashion these days' only shows the ruling party's regressive mindset.
'Whether or not BJP-RSS leaders have vermillion in their veins, the ideology of Manusmriti certainly flows through them,' Mevani alleged.
Pointing at incidents of atrocities on Dalits in Gujarat, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, Mevani alleged that none of the chief ministers or home ministers of the states has stood with the Dalit and tribal victims.
He also slammed the BJP-ruled Gujarat government for "low conviction" rate and urged the Prime Minister to take cognizance of the matter and question the Gujarat government.
UNI RBE PRS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
32 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Dynastic feuds may reshape Indian politics
In Bihar, the Rashtriya Janata Dal leans on its OBC and Muslim vote bank, and Lalu Prasad Yadav's anti-elite legacy. His sons, Tej Pratap and Tejashwi, are locked in a clownish feud as Tej Pratap's social media rant about 'Jaichands' and a 12-year romance clash with Tejashwi's steady hand as Lalu's heir. The RJD's political now wobbles as Tej Pratap's antics, in the backdrop of his estranged wife Aishwarya's lament, alienate voters. If the RJD fractures, Bihar's educated youth craving jobs over drama could turn to the BJP's development narrative or Nitish Kumar's JD(U) again. Consolidation under Tejashwi would bolster the RJD's clout, challenging the BJP's dominance and forcing the Congress to play second fiddle in alliances. UP's Samajwadi Party (SP), rooted in Yadav and OBC identity, still stings from its 2016 family feud, when Akhilesh Yadav ousted uncle Shivpal, costing the party the 2017 election. Akhilesh now wields the SP's political clout consisting of its caste-based vote bank. But UP's urbanising youth, less swayed by caste, demand results. If the SP splinters further, the BJP with its Hindutva and development mix will tighten its grip on the state, leaving the Congress to pick up scraps. A unified SP leveraging its Yadav-Muslim base could challenge the BJP's hegemony, forcing national parties to negotiate hard for UP's 80 Lok Sabha seats. Maharashtra's NCP, built on Maratha pride and rural networks, is reeling from Ajit Pawar's 2023 betrayal splitting from Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule to join the BJP. Ajit's grab for the NCP's name, symbol and the Maratha vote bank left Supriya's faction scrambling. If the split persists, the BJP and its ally Shiv Sena will dominate the state, with the Congress gaining marginal urban votes. A reunited NCP, though a long shot, could reclaim its kingmaker status, forcing national parties to vie for its support in coalition games. The BSP, anchored in Dalit empowerment, is Mayawati's fortress. Her anointment of brother Anand Kumar and nephew Aakash screams of nepotism. Its political capital is its Jatav Dalit base, which is slipping as educated Dalits drift to BJP's development promises. If the BSP collapses under dynastic weight, the BJP will absorb its voters, cementing dominance in UP, while the Congress might snag urban Dalits. Consolidation under Aakash, if Mayawati steps back, could revive the BSP's Dalit clout, challenging national parties in UP's caste cauldron. West Bengal's Trinamool Congress, fuelled by Bengali sub-nationalism, is Mamata Banerjee's domain, with nephew Abhishek Banerjee as heir. His rise as MP and party general secretary irks veterans, but Mamata's grip keeps dissent at bay. But Bengal's growing middle class demands merit. If the TMC fractures post-Mamata, the BJP's Hindutva pitch could sway voters, with the Congress a distant contender. A consolidated TMC under Abhishek could dominate Bengal, forcing national parties to cede ground in eastern coalitions. In Tamil Nadu, the DMK thrives on Dravidian identity, championing Tamil pride and social justice. M K Stalin, Karunanidhi's son, rules unchallenged, grooming his son Udhayanidhi Stalin as successor, with hardly any overt pushback from anyone within the family or outside. The DMK's politics, comprising its Tamil base and anti-Hindi stance, is robust, but Tamil Nadu's IT-driven prosperity is breeding a youth sceptical of dynasty. In the unlikely but hypothetical situation of the DMK splintering, the BJP could gain urban footholds while the AIADMK mops up rural votes. A unified DMK, with Udhayanidhi at the helm, would keep Tamil Nadu a regional stronghold by marginalising national parties. The Pattali Makkal Katchi, ensconced in Tamil Nadu's Vanniyar caste silo, faces collapse as S Ramadoss battles son Anbumani, who was sacked from party president's chair in April 2025 over a BJP alliance spat. Anbumani's defiance targets the PMK's political foundation. If the PMK implodes, the DMK and AIADMK will rupture its fountainhead, with the BJP gaining marginal caste votes. But a united PMK could still sway coalitions, forcing national parties to court its niche clout.
United News of India
an hour ago
- United News of India
Senior BNP leader says elections should be held in December 2025, and not April next year
Dhaka, June 7 (UNI) Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) General Secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam, reiterating his party's stance on the national polls, said that elections should be held in December 2025, and the proposed April 2026 date is not viable for holding polls. Citing adverse weather, Ramadan, and public examinations as his reasons, the BNP leader said: "The time (April) is not the right time for elections in Bangladesh. There is a risk of extreme heat, storms, and rain. Ramadan… and public examinations will also be taking place. It seems that not much thought has been given to this timeframe." Chief Advisor Mohammed Yunus had announced April 2026 as the date for holding the national polls, which the party described as a "disappointing" decision, The Daily Star reported. The party claimed that the 84-year-old CA's decision was aimed at "appeasing a select group of political parties", alluding to the hardline Islamic fundamentalist groups like Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party, who said that no polls can be held until "justice" is not delivered to the "martyrs" of the July Uprising. "BNP has been demanding elections by December, which reflected the peoples' expectations. We believe elections can be held in December, and that would be the most suitable time for the nation," he added. Upon the announcement by CA Yunus, the BNP Standing Committee noted that he did not provide any clear justification as to why holding the election by December would not be feasible, and instead touched upon topics like construction of ports and foreign policy issues – subjects that did not fall under an interim government's ambit. "The BNP has repeatedly said that it wants elections as soon as possible. We had hoped that Dr Muhammad Yunus would announce the election date by December. But undoubtedly, not only the BNP, but the entire nation has been disappointed by the announcement of elections in April," he told reporters. UNI ANV RN
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
As charges swirl, KLIS duel boils over
Hyderabad: Irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy slammed former minister T Harish Rao , alleging that Telangana's irrigation sector suffered irreversible damage due to the faulty decisions made by the BRS govt. He demanded Harish Rao tender an unconditional apology for misleading the people of the state on the Kaleshwaram project. In a statement on Saturday, Uttam refuted the allegations levelled by Harish Rao and claimed that after the BRS govt inaugurated the project in 2019, only 162 TMC of water was lifted, of which 63 TMC was released into the sea. He demanded an answer from Harish on how the BRS govt managed to irrigate 22 lakh acres with just 99 TMC. "The BRS govt took out rallies after their delegation returned from Maharashtra and announced that a barrage would be constructed at Thummidihatti. A gravity canal was also constructed from Thummidihatti to Yellampally, covering a distance of 100 km. While that was a gravity-based project, Kaleshwaram relies on reverse pumping — only to release a huge quantity of water into sea," the minister claimed. He also dismissed allegations that the previous Congress govt had spent very little on the Pranahitha-Chevella project. He said before the formation of state, 6,156 crore was spent on the project and by 2016, it rose to 11,679 crore. The minister further said the Central Water Commission had never claimed there was no water availability at Thummidithatti. He said that had the BRS govt completed the project at the site with about 38,000 crore, it could have irrigated 17 lakh acres of new ayacut up to Chevella — eliminating the need for 1 lakh crore for the Kaleshwaram project. Of the remaining amount of 62,000 crore (if Pranahitha-Chevella was taken up with 38,000 cr), the govt could have completed many projects such as Palamuru, Nettampadu, Bheema, SLBC, Dindi, Sitharama, and other projects, Uttam claimed. He further said the govt was paying 16,000 crore in interest on the loans taken by the BRS govt for the Kaleshwaram project.
