Kharge targets PM Modi, BJP for linking 'red book' of Constitution with 'urban Naxalism'
Mumbai (PTI): Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP for equating a "red book" of the Constitution with "urban Naxalism" and said the PM gave a similar copy in 2017 to then President Ram Nath Kovind.
Addressing a press conference here after launching the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi 's (MVA) manifesto for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections, Kharge also said his party's demand for a caste census is not to divide people, but to understand how various communities are placed at present so that they can get more benefits.
Notably, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was trying to seek support from “urban Naxals and anarchists” by holding a “red book” in his hand.
Gandhi, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, has been displaying an abridged version of the Constitution in a red cover during his rallies.
Kharge said the red handbook was only used for reference and it was not the entire Constitution.
''Even Narendra Modi gave a similar copy to then President Ram Nath Kovind on July 26, 2017,'' the Congress leader said displaying a picture of the two leaders.
Kharge also displayed a red book of the Constitution, saying it was not blank as was being projected by Modi and the BJP.
''It is necessary to enroll him in a primary school again,'' Kharge said targeting the prime minister.
The Congress leader described the MVA's manifesto as all inclusive and participatory.
He said it is important for Maharashtra to defeat the ruling Mahayuti in the state and support the MVA for stability and good governance.
BJP के नेता संविधान की लाल रंग की किताब को नक्सलियों की निशानी बता रहे हैं।
— Congress (@INCIndia) November 10, 2024
जबकि नरेंद्र मोदी खुद 26 जुलाई, 2017 को ऐसी ही प्रति पूर्व राष्ट्रपति रामनाथ कोविंद जी को सौंप चुके हैं।
यानी खुद ही लाल रंग का संविधान राष्ट्रपति को देते हैं और हमें अर्बन-नक्सल बोलते हैं।
यह दिखाता… pic.twitter.com/n4eiTpKdLV
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AIMIM wins Malegaon Central seat by 162 votes
Malegaon (Maharashtra), Nov 23: In a closely contested election, Mohammad Ismail Abdul Khalique of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has retained the Malegaon Central assembly seat, winning by a razor-thin margin of 162 votes.
This victory in the north Maharashtra constituency marks a significant turnaround for Khalique, who previously enjoyed a commanding lead in the 2019 elections, winning by over one lakh votes.
Khalique, an Islamic scholar, received a total of 1,09,653 votes this time, narrowly defeating his nearest rival, Asif Shaikh Rasheed of the Indian Secular Largest Assembly of Maharashtra party, who got 1,09,491 votes.
There were a total of 13 candidates contesting in this Muslim dominated constituency. Barring Khalique and Rasheed, two other candidates -- Shaan-e-Hind Nihal Ahmed of Samajwadi Party and Ejaz Baig Aziz Baig managed below 10,000 votes. Other remaining candidates were below 1,000 votes.
This election marks Khalique's third term as an MLA. He initially represented the Malegaon Central seat in 2009 as a member of the Jan Surajya Shakti party.
However, Khalique faced a setback in the 2014 elections when he contested under the banner of the Nationalist Congress Party and lost.
His return to the assembly in 2019 under the AIMIM banner solidified his political presence, and despite the significantly reduced margin this year, he has once again emerged victorious.
The results highlight the competitive nature of the Malegaon Central constituency and underscore Khalique's resilience in maintaining his position amidst changing political dynamics.
