– Abdul Bari Masoud
Mhow: The Congress held a massive rally titled ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’ at the birthplace of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Senior Congress leaders launched sharp criticisms against RSS and BJP, accusing them of pushing India back to the pre-Independence era. They emphasised their commitment to a caste census and removing the 50% cap on reservations while urging citizens to reject the “fascist ideology” of RSS.
Addressing the gathering, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge strongly condemned Union Home Minister Amit Shah for allegedly disrespecting Dr. Ambedkar in Rajya Sabha. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused BJP and RSS of being opposed to the Constitution and striving to revert India to a pre-Independence societal structure.
Before the rally, Kharge and Gandhi paid respects at Dr. Ambedkar’s memorial. Kharge appealed to the people to embrace the ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Dr. Ambedkar while rejecting the doctrines of RSS ideologues Golwalkar, Savarkar, and Hedgewar. He accused RSS-BJP of being anti-national, alleging their attempts to undermine the Constitution.
Kharge warned that altering the Constitution would strip Dalits, Backward Classes, and Adivasis of their rights. Highlighting Ambedkar’s lifelong fight for equality, he dismissed BJP claims that the Congress had worked against Ambedkar. Instead, he cited Ambedkar’s own letter stating that Congress supported him while Savarkar plotted against him.
Kharge accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and RSS workers of abusing Congress leaders who had contributed to India’s freedom struggle. He pointed out that while Congress was fighting for Independence, RSS collaborated with the British. He also criticised BJP’s narrative about Nehru and Patel, reminding the audience that Patel had banned RSS after they celebrated Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination.
Kharge labelled RSS-BJP as anti-national for their alleged role in undermining India’s independence movement and for pushing divisive agendas, such as seeking temples under mosques. He condemned RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for making contradictory statements.
Rahul Gandhi highlighted the ongoing ideological battle between Congress and RSS-BJP. He accused RSS-BJP of attacking the Constitution and reiterated Congress’s commitment to conducting a caste census and eliminating the 50% ceiling on reservations. He lamented the lack of representation for Dalits, Adivasis, and BCs in key institutions.
Gandhi warned against BJP’s plans to change the Constitution if they secured a strong mandate in the elections. He recalled how Modi was forced to bow before the Constitution after returning to Parliament despite his party’s intentions to alter it. He alleged that Modi supports only a few billionaires, citing the waiver of ₹16 lakh crore in debt for wealthy industrialists.
Gandhi also emphasised the plight of marginalised communities before independence and underlined the transformative impact of the Constitution. However, he cautioned that BJP and RSS were attempting to roll back these changes.
Gandhi criticised BJP for failing to address rising unemployment, noting that even graduates from prestigious institutions like IITs and IIMs were struggling to find jobs. He accused BJP of discriminating against marginalised communities, citing instances where the President was reportedly denied entry to the Ram Temple and the new Parliament building.
The event was attended by prominent Congress leaders, including KC Venugopal, Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, Jitu Patwari, Revanth Reddy, Sukhwinder Sukhu, Digvijaya Singh, Kamal Nath, Salman Khurshid, and others.
