BJP wants to change Constitution, curtail people's rights: Priyanka Gandhi in Chhattisgarh

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday said the BJP-led Union government wants to change the Constitution and curtail the rights of people.

Addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh's Balod in support of the Congress' Kanker Lok Sabha candidate Biresh Thakur, she also decried the use of religion in politics and said this was never the tradition of the country.

"Several BJP leaders in their speeches say give them 400 Lok Sabha seats and they will change the Constitution. Why are they saying this? While their small leaders and many ministers say they will change the Constitution, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior party leaders say they will not change it. Do you think BJP leaders can say such a big thing without Modi ji's permission?" she asked.

"This is a conspiracy. The Constitution has given you the right to vote, given you reservations, ensured protection of tribal culture and facilitated the development of Dalits. The BJP-led Union government wants to change the Constitution and curtail people's rights," she claimed.

She said any change in the Constitution will impact everyone and people would not be able to lead a respectable life since their rights would be lost, including that of asking questions.

The intention of the BJP-led Centre is not right, the senior Congress leader alleged.

Politics of show off

Attacking the BJP, she said Modi will come for campaigning with great fanfare, make grand promises, talk about tribal culture but will do nothing to protect it.

He will not speak on inflation, unemployment etc, but an attempt will be made to show he is very powerful, while assurances will be given that everything will be fine, the Congress leader said.

"I want to ask you whether everything has become good in the last 10 years. This is the politics of show off," she said.

Asserting that "show off politics" had gained ground and was the trend in the country, she said, "Today, when a leader performs puja, a camera must be there and it should be seen on television. There has to be showing off."

"You have huge respect for Indira ji (former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi) and also respect me when I come here because I am her granddaughter. This is because she did not do politics to show off. She came to you, listened to you and understood your problems," the Congress leader said.

Religion not to be used in politics

"Indiraji (former prime minister Indira Gandhi) had a puja room to perform rituals but she did it in solitude. It was not to show off. Religion should not be used in politics as it has not been our tradition," the Congress leader further said.

Religion means truth and service and if a leader makes false promises from the stage, then he or she is neither religious nor on the path of truth, Gandhi asserted.

"The BJP-led Union government is only working for a few industrialist friends of PM Modi. If it was working for you (citizens), then your problems would have been solved gradually. Modi ji's government has been in power for 10 years. Has your life changed?" she questioned.

Modi not controlled Inflation and unemployment

BJP leaders keep claiming Prime Minister Modi has become a powerful leader in the world, but if that was the case then why did he not reduce unemployment or control inflation, Gandhi said.

"Inflation has increased beyond limit in the past 10 years. Unemployment is at its highest in 45 years. No matter how much a youngster studies, there is no guarantee of a job. Imposition of GST on farm implements has made cultivation difficult," she claimed.

The PM waived loans of Rs 16 lakh crore of industrialist friends, the Congress leader claimed.

Drama rather than morality

Addressing a poll rally in Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha constituency, Gandhi said the trend was of politics involving drama rather than morality.

She said big personalities like prime ministers and chief ministers come to people without having any respect for them, show off their power and make false promises, which was never the tradition of the country.

"This country has an old tradition. The tradition of Hindu religion, the tradition of tribal religion, the political tradition and the tradition of Mahatma Gandhi which teaches that the religion of a leader is service," Gandhi said.

"In this country people are supreme. Every leader in this country knew that if he did not speak the truth in front of the public then the public would teach them a lesson. But today circumstances have changed. The leader to whom you gave power, respect and reverence has become very arrogant," Gandhi claimed.

The prime minister comes on stage but never tries to see "how you are living and what your struggle is", she said.

There was a time when there were no helicopters and air service but Indira ji used to reach every village by car, on foot or on an elephant, though that time is long gone, the senior Congress leader said.

"BJP leaders say Modiji stops wars. Then why did he not eliminate unemployment, inflation? When our sisters were being tortured, why didn't you help them?" she asked citing examples of alleged atrocities on women in Hathras, Unnao, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Haryana etc.

She said the BJP keeps talking about dynastic politics and corruption but leaders who join them become clean.

"They have levelled allegations on former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel. If he says he is joining the BJP, then they will say Baghelji is very honest," Gandhi said.

Baghel is the Congress' candidate from Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha seat.

Electoral bonds

Attacking the Union government on electoral bonds, she said several entities that were raided by probe agencies gave donations in the form of electoral bonds, after which such action was stopped.

"There are companies that gave donations that are more than their profits. It means black money was converted into white using electoral bonds," Gandhi alleged.

Kanker and Rajnandgaon will witness voting on April 26.

(With inputs from agencies)