Belagavi (Karnataka):

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of insulting India’s Rajas and Maharajas, but remaining silent on the atrocities committed by Nawabs, Nizams, Sultans and Badshahs for the sake of appeasement politics.

He also continued his attack against the Congress on the “inheritance tax” issue and targeted the party’s government in Karnataka on law and order issues.

The BJP is working on increasing the assets of the people, but Congress’ shahzade (Rahul Gandhi) and his sister (Priyanka Gandhi Vadra), both are announcing that if they come to power, they will do the ‘X-ray’ of the country, PM Modi said.

“They will x-ray your property, bank lockers, lands, vehicles, also ‘Streedhan’ and ornaments of women, gold, the Mangalsutra. These people will raid every house and capture your assets. After capturing they are talking about redistributing it, they want it to give it to their loved vote bank…will you allow this loot to happen?” he asked.

There’s wide-scale support for the NDA across Karnataka. Addressing a huge rally in Belagavi. Watch. https://t.co/OVJdH0q3kf

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 28, 2024

“I want to alert Congress,” PM Modi said, asserting that “leave this intention. Until Modi is alive, I will not allow it… “

Addressing a mega public meeting here, he said, “Congress has ensured the writings of our history and our freedom struggle with an eye on appeasement and vote bank. Even today, the Congress’ shehzade (prince) is carrying forward that sin. You might have heard Congress’ shehzade’s recent statement — he says Bharath’s Rajas and Maharajas were atyachari (oppressive).”

“He (Gandhi) has accused them (Rajas and Maharajas) of usurping the lands and properties of people and poor…Congress’ shehzade has insulted great personalities like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Kittur Rani Channamma, whose administration and patriotism inspire us even today,” the prime minister said.

Recalling the contribution of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family for which they are respected across the country even today, he said, “The Congress’ shehzade’s statements were intentional, aimed at vote bank politics and appeasement.” “Shahzade spoke ill about Raja, Maharajas, but the shahzade’s mouth was locked regarding the ‘atyachar’ that Nawabs, Nizams, Sultans and Badshahs committed in India’s history. His mouth was shut on them, but on Raja, Maharajas he speaks ill and insults them,” he said.

Noting that Mr Gandhi cannot remember Mughal emperor Aurangzeb’s oppressions, PM Modi said, “He (Aurangzeb) impured a number of our temples and destroyed them. Congress is happily making alliances with parties that praise Aurangzeb…they don’t remember people who destroyed our religious places and indulged in killing, killing of cows. They don’t remember the Nawab, who played a role in the partition of India.” He further recalled the contributions of the Raja of Banaras in setting up Banaras Hindu University, and Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar in the reconstruction of temples.

“It was the Maharaja of Baroda who had identified the talent of Ambedkar…the Congress’s shehzade doesn’t remember the contributions of Rajas and Maharajas. For vote bank they show the guts of speaking against Rajas and Maharajas, but don’t have the strength to speak against Nawabs, sultans and Badshahs,” he said adding that Congress’ “appeasement mindset” has come out in the open before the country, and the same reflects in their manifesto.

Veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, the party’s candidate from Belgaum (Belagavi) former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, and Chikkodi candidate Annasaheb Shankar Jolle, were among those present.

Since the time Congress came to power in Karnataka, the law and order situation in the entire state has worsened, PM Modi alleged, recalling the atrocity against an adivasi woman in Belagavi and the killing of a Jain monk in Chikkodi. These shameful incidents have degraded Karnataka’s pride.

Citing the recent murder of a Hubballi student, Neha Hiremath, at her college premises that created “sensation” in the country, he said, the family sought action, but the Congress government gave priority to appeasement.

“For them, the lives of daughters like Neha have no value, they think only about their vote bank.” Even when there was a bomb blast in a Bengaluru cafe, the Congress government did not take it seriously initially; they even termed it a cylinder blast initially. “Why are you — Congress — lying to the people of the country, if you can’t, leave and go home,” PM Modi said.

The Congress for the sake of votes is taking support of banned PFI — the anti-national organisation that supported terrorism. “To win one seat in Wayanad, are you surrendering to them? BJP has banned PFI and has put its leaders behind bars,” he said.

PM Modi said Congress has come up with a “dangerous” formula of “inheritance tax”, according to which the party, in the event of coming to power, will tax what one saves for his children, either money or property.

“They (Congress) say, you cannot give what you save for your children. If you have to give, you have to pay 55 per cent tax on it…to distribute to its vote bank they want to capture your assets,” he alleged.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)