Modi anti-dalit, we’ll beat BJP in 2019, says Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who led his party’s nationwide, daylong fast at Rajghat in Delhi against growing caste violence, communalism and the non-functioning of Parliament under the ruling BJP, exuded confidence that the grand old party will defeat the BJP-led NDA in the 2019 general election.

Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being “casteist” and “anti-dalit”, Mr Gandhi said his party will always stand against the BJP’s “oppressive” ideology.

Speaking to reporters at Rajghat, Mr Gandhi said the Congress will defeat the BJP-led NDA in the 2019 general election and added, “We are standing here today and will stand against it all our life and we will defeat them in the 2019 elections. A few days ago, a BJP leader said Opposition leaders are animals. The truth is that today every person in India is standing against the government, whose approach is against the dalits, tribals, minorities and farmers.”

Attacking the Prime Minister, Mr Gandhi said, “The entire country knows that PM Modi is anti-dalit, it is not a secret... The BJP follows ideology of oppressing dalits, tribals, minorities.”

Mr Gandhi sat for several hours at Rajghat to observe “Sadhbhavna Upvas” (Fast for Harmony) and was joined by senior leaders, including Kamal Nath, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sheila Dikshit, Ashok Gehlot, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken and the party’s communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala.

Congress leaders and workers in 29 state headquarters and seven Union Territories observed the fast.

According to party sources, almost a crore workers participated in the “Fast for Harmony” across the country.

In Mumbai, the fast was led by state unit chief Ashok Chavan and senior leaders, Milind Deora and Sanjay Nirupam. All state unit chiefs of the party were present in the fast for harmony in their respective state capitals.  The BJP termed it as “farce of a fast”.

The 1984 anti-Sikh riots cast its shadow over the “Sadhbhawna Upwas” when Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler, accused in the riots, were asked to stay away from the stage in Rajghat where Mr Gandhi and the other leaders were sitting.

While Mr Kumar left the venue soon thereafter, Mr Tytler sat in the audience along with party workers.

Also, a photograph of top Delhi Congress leadership digging into plates of “chole bhature” at a restaurant before the fast added to the embarrassment of the leaders present at the venue.  

The BJP mocked the Congress and termed the fast as a “farce”. Hitting out at Mr Gandhi, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “This is politics of performance versus politics of luxury. You cannot wake up in morning, cannot escape even one meal, but you claim of bringing a big change... You have played a joke on the poor and dalits while sitting in Rajghat.”

The Congress responded saying some of its members did eat breakfast as the fast was from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm and a “symbolic” one.

Mr Patra also ridiculed the Congress saying that the decision to keep Mr Tytler and Mr Kumar away from the dais was an admission of guilt.

Dubbing the Congress as “danga master” (master of riots), Mr Patra said, “This is acceptance of guilt. The real face of Congress’ violence has come to the fore and that too at Rajghat.”  

Reacting to Mr Gandhi calling the Prime Minister “anti-dalit”, Mr Patra said, “It is the Congress which is anti-dalit, not Modi who empowered them economically and socially with schemes like Jan Dhan and Mudra.”

The Congress has decided to up the ante against the BJP and reach out to people through a “national rally” at Ramilila Ground on April 29. The Congress leadership plans to target the Modi government on issues ranging from economic slow down, unemployment, anti-dalit violence and policies and corruption, which includes bank frauds.