 "Mallikarjun Kharge")
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday said that his party would conduct a caste census in Madhya Pradesh and establish a university named after social reformer Sant Ravidas after winning the upcoming assembly elections.
Addressing a public rally in MP's Sagar district in Bundelkhand, Kharge stated, "As Congress president, I promise that we will conduct a caste-based census in the state after returning to power."
"The Congress will also set up a university in the name of Sant Ravidas in Sagar district if voted to power," he added.
Kharge's attack on BJP over Sant Ravidas
Kharge also criticised the ruling BJP for remembering Sant Ravidas, a prominent Bhakti Movement saint who highlighted the struggles of Dalits and championed the causes of the oppressed using poetry and spirituality only during elections.
"Modi ji has been in power for the last nine years while Shivraj Singh Chouhan has ruled the state for the last 18 years. They remembered Ravidas only at the time of the polls," he alleged.
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His remarks came ten days after PM Modi laid the foundation of a Rs 100 crore memorial-cum-temple of Sant Ravidas in Sagar district.
Kharge's Constitution change jibe at BJP
Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre of trying to change the Constitution, the Congress chief said, "Some people are trying to change the Constitution. But this is not possible because 1.4 billion people of the country are in support of the protection of the Constitution."
He further stated that Narendra Modi is the prime minister and Shivraj Singh Chouhan is the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh because the Congress gave the country its Constitution and protected democracy.
"We have given the constitution and saved the democracy, that's why you are holding your posts," Kharge said, adding that it seems Modi and Chouhan cannot digest their food without abusing the Congress.
Congress's promises ahead of MP election 2023
Speaking at a Jan Akrosh rally ahead of the crucial Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections scheduled for later this year, Kharge made a slew of promises to the people of Madhya Pradesh, including a cooking gas cylinder for Rs 500, farm loan waiver, monthly payment of Rs 1,500 to eligible women, concession in electricity bills, and the old pension scheme for government employees.
'BJP stole Congress MLAs to win 2018 polls'
Accusing the saffron party in the state of "disrespecting" the public mandate, Kharge said the Congress won democratically in the 2018 state elections and Kamal Nath was the chief minister, but the BJP "snatched" the government.
"On one hand, you [BJP] speak about clean politics, but form the government using money, and threaten by misusing Enforcement Directorate [ED], Central Bureau of Investigation [CBI], and other agencies," Kharge alleged.
"There is an illegal government in Madhya Pradesh. Our MLAs were stolen and taken away," he said.
The Congress president also highlighted the "Sidhi urination" case and asked the BJP which party the accused belonged to. "He had urinated on the face and you [CM Chouhan] cleaned the feet of the victim. Will the insult be washed away by washing the feet?"
Meanwhile, BJP state president VD Sharma said, "Mallikarjun Kharge should apologise for the death of a Dalit, who was burnt alive in Sagar, during the regime of then Congress-led state government. I want to ask Khargeji why Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh didn't do anything."
"Recently in Shivpuri, two Dalit men were harassed and forced to eat human excreta by Muslim community but not a single leader of Congress said anything in support of the victims. Why do they have dual policies in extending support? Congress was always anti-Dalit and that's why they failed to change their lives so they have no rights to ask us anything," Sharma said.
