Mirchpur & Gohana: PM Modi's references spark unease within Cong ranks ahead of Haryana polls

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his election rallies at Hisar and Palwal in Haryana cited historical incidents of caste-based violence to counter Congress’s credibility. Among these incidents, the Mirchpur and Gohana cases were under the spotlight during his campaign.

In no uncertain terms, PM Modi said that Congress hates Dalits and the Gohana-Mirchpur incidents happened during its rule. “Dalit daughters were subjected to injustice during Congress rule but its leaders remained silent,” he said, adding, “Dalit society can never forget the atrocities that Congress has done on them.”

In fact, the Congress government was in power during both the 2005 Gohana incident, where 50 Dalit homes were burned amid inter-caste violence, and the 2010 Mirchpur incident, where more than a dozen Dalit homes were set on fire, resulting in the deaths of a child and a 70-year-old man. Both events are seen as “evidence” of the “systemic failures” under the Congress government at the time.

As PM Modi raised these issues, discussions within Congress reportedly began concerning the potential shift of their Dalit voter base to the BJP. During recent rallies in Hisar and Palwal, PM Modi specifically invoked these incidents, terming them examples of Congress's failure to protect Dalits. In fact, PM Modi positioned the BJP as a protector of Dalit rights and social justice. PM Modi's remarks aimed to woo the Dalit community, which has traditionally been a strong support base for Congress.

By citing these incidents, PM Modi not only drew attention to Congress's past ‘failures’ but also attempted to demolish its claims of being a champion of minority rights.

Moreover, the timing of PM Modi's comments, coming just days before the elections, is significant. It served to keep the narrative focused on Congress's alleged failures of the past when it was in power in Haryana.

Observers believe that as Haryana is set to vote on October 5, the ramifications of what the PM has said could significantly influence voter sentiment, potentially damaging Congress's electoral hopes in Haryana.