Haryana polls: Kharge targets PM Modi, says promises made by BJP never fulfilled
Chandigarh (PTI): Launching a scathing attack on the BJP for failing to fulfil the promises made to people, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an expert in telling lies.
"It is Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri's birth anniversaries today. Mahatma Gandhi taught us truth and non-violence. I don't want to say this, but those in power how much truth and how much lies they speak," said Kharge addressing a poll rally at Badhra in Charkhi Dadri.
"Modi ji toh bharosa todne walo ka bhi sardar hai (Modi is the leader of those who break trust.) His numerous lies, promises, you know about it," he added in the presence of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik.
Kharge said Prime Minister Modi made so many promises during the past ten years "that there is no limit" to it.
"Before polls, he said after he is elected, he will put Rs 15 lakh in everyone's pocket," he said.
The person, who is the prime minister for ten years, can he speak a lie. Did former prime ministers Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi say such thing, no one did, he said.
"He (PM Modi) said the Congress people had stashed their black money in foreign shores and he (Modi) will bring it back and put Rs 15 lakh in everyone's pocket," he added.
Kharge said Prime Minister Modi "promised 2 crore jobs to youth each year".
"Where did those 20 crore jobs go which they had to give in ten years?" he asked.
The Congress president said the BJP is saying now during the polls in Haryana that they will give five lakh jobs, whereas they did not fill the over 1.60 lakh vacant posts.
Those in power are speaking such lies, Kharge said.
"Manohar Lal Khattar was the chief minister for nine-and-a-half years, but he was changed. He was changed because that engine failed. Had their work been proper, had they kept their promises, what was the need to change. The fact that they changed him means they have not been able to fulfill the promises they made to people," he added.
The Congress president said the people still remember the works done during Bhupinder Singh Hooda's time, adding his party does what it says.
"That is why I keep saying this repeatedly that BJP is 'jhoothon ki sardar' and Modi is expert in telling lies. He is not afraid," he alleged.
Kharge said the Congress leaders, who became the prime ministers always fought for their country.
What was the slogan given by Lal Bahadur Shastri, it was "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan", he said.
"They dont know about jawans, nor kisans, they only know the RSS' agenda. What else they know. No one is farmer in the RSS or BJP. This is why they don't understand the pain of the farmers," he said.
Haryana goes to polls on October 5 and the results will be declared on October 8.
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'Fraud on Constitution': SC rules against religious conversion for quota benefits
New Delhi (PTI): In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court has said religious conversions undertaken solely to avail reservation benefits without genuine belief amounted to a "fraud on the Constitution".
Justices Pankaj Mithal and R Mahadevan passed the verdict on November 26 in a case filed by one C Selvarani and upheld a Madras High Court decision of January 24 denying a scheduled caste certificate to a woman who converted to Christianity but later claimed to be a Hindu to secure employment benefits.
Justice Mahadevan, who wrote the 21-page verdict for the bench, further underscored that one converted to a different religion, when they were genuinely inspired by its principles, tenets and spiritual thoughts.
"However, if the purpose of conversion is largely to derive the benefits of reservation but not with any actual belief in the other religion, the same cannot be permitted, as the extension of benefits of reservation to people with such ulterior motives will only defeat the social ethos of the policy of reservation,” he noted.
The evidence presented before the bench was found to have clearly demonstrated that the appellant professed Christianity and actively practiced the faith by attending church regularly.
"Despite the same, she claims to be a Hindu and seeks for a SC community certificate for the purpose of employment," it noted.
"Such a dual claim made by her," said the bench "was untenable and she cannot continue to identify herself as a Hindu after baptism".
The top court, therefore, held the conferment of scheduled caste communal status to the woman, who was a Christian by faith, but claimed to be still embracing Hinduism only for the purpose of availing reservation in employment, "would go against the very object of reservation and would amount to fraud on the Constitution".
The top court underlined a religious conversion solely to access reservation benefits, without genuine belief in the adopted religion, undermined the fundamental social objectives of the quota policy and her actions were contrary to the spirit of reservation policies aimed at uplifting the marginalised communities.
Selvarani, born to a Hindu father and a Christian mother, was baptised as a Christian shortly after birth but later claimed to be a Hindu and sought an SC certificate to apply for an upper division clerk position in Puducherry in 2015.
While her father belonged to the Valluvan caste, categorised under scheduled castes, he had converted to Christianity, as confirmed by documentary evidence.
The verdict said the appellant continued to practice Christianity, as seen by the regular church attendance, making her claim of being a Hindu untenable.
The bench noted individuals converting to Christianity lose their caste identity and must provide compelling evidence of reconversion and acceptance by their original caste to claim SC benefits.
The judgement said there was no substantial evidence of the appellant's reconversion to Hinduism or acceptance by the Valluvan caste.
Her claims lacked public declarations, ceremonies, or credible documentation to substantiate her assertions, it pointed out.
"One converts to a different religion when genuinely inspired by its principles. Conversion purely for reservation benefits, devoid of belief, is impermissible," the bench held.
The apex court opined in any case, upon conversion to Christianity, one lost their caste and couldn't be identified by it.
"As the factum of reconversion is disputed, there must be more than a mere claim. The conversion had not happened by any ceremony or through 'Arya Samaj'. No public declaration was effected. There is nothing on record to show that she or her family has reconverted to Hinduism and on the contrary, there is a factual finding that the appellant still professes Christianity,” it noted.
The bench said there was evidence against the appellant, and therefore, her contention raised that the caste would be under eclipse upon conversion and resumption of the caste upon reconversion, was "unsustainable".
