Kharge campaigns in Jharkhand, replies to BJP’s ‘batenge toh katenge’ slogan

Ranchi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, on a campaign trail in poll-bound Jharkhand on Tuesday, responded to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s ‘batenge toh katenge’ slogan and dubbed this as the communal agenda of the latter to seek votes.

Congress president, in a fierce counter to ‘batenge toh katenge’ call of Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, said that it was the BJP which was sowing the seeds of division among communities and also then going a step to break the social fabric.

He said that the BJP leaders are giving such divisive calls as part of their agenda and also appealed to the people to break the vicious campaign if they want to change their lives for the better.

“Dalits are denied entry into temple premises and other common places, poor and marginalised classes have to run from pillar to post in getting basic needs addressed,” he said.

“Unless you break this agenda, your lives won’t change… you will be subjected to exploitation for years to come,” he further stated.

Addressing two public rallies, first in the Mandu region of Hazaribagh and then in Kanke of Ranchi district, Kharge slammed the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for pursuing ‘divisive and destructive’ politics.

Kharge, speaking at a huge public meeting Ranchi’s Kanke said that the BJP’s only intention and motive was to gain power.

“They want to rule by making people fight among themselves. But we will not let their agenda succeed at any cost,” the Congress chief declared, eliciting cheers and praise from the crowd.

He also launched an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah over alleged fake promises.

“PM Modi had promised Rs 15 lakh in everyone’s account. Have you received it? When a journalist asked Amit Shah, he said that it was an election slogan,” Kharge pointed out.

On the jobs front also, the Congress veteran sought to expose the Modi government.

“They had promised to give two crores every year. According to this, 20 crore people should have got jobs in 10 years, but did you get them?” he asked the gathering.

Responding to the issue of Bangladeshi infiltration, he asked the Centre what it was doing to address the issue.

“The government is in their hands. It is their responsibility to protect the border. Even after this, when they talk about Bangladeshi infiltration, it is nothing but belittling the country's army men,” he remarked.