'Shehzade' insulted Maharajas, but silent on atrocities by Nawabs: PM's attack on Rahul Gandhi
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): 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.
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)," Modi said.
"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 Chatrapati Shivajji Maharaj and Kittur Rani Channamma, whose administration and patriotism inspires 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, the PM said, "the Congress' shehzade 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 Badshas 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 Gandhi cannot remember Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's oppressions, 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, 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 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, party's candidate from Belgaum (Belagavi) and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and Chikkodi candidate Annasaheb Shankar Jolle, were among those present.
Since the time Congress came to power in Karnataka, law and order situation in the entire state has worsened, Modi alleged, recalling the atrocity against an adivasi woman in Belagavi and killing of a Jain monk in Chikkodi. These incidents were shameful and 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 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's cafe, the Congress government did not take it seriously initially; they even termed it a cylinder blast. "Why are you -- Congress -- lying to the people of the country, if you can't, leave and go home."
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." Modi said.
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West Bengal: BJP holds protest against Sandeshkhali videos, TMC worker 'heckled'
Sandeshkhali (WB), May 12: BJP workers on Sunday demonstrated against the circulation of purported videos "to malign the image" of saffron party leaders in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, and allegedly heckled the local TMC legislator for spreading "misinformation" over complaints of sexual abuse, lodged by women in the area.
They also beat up a local TMC activist in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district for allegedly being involved in "disseminating false information about atrocities on women" in the area.
Led by BJP's Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency candidate Rekha Patra, the protestors demonstrated in front of Sandeshkhali Police station, also demanding the release of a party activist arrested in a "false dacoity" case.
Patra accused police of "slapping trumped-up charges on BJP activists" in Sandeshkhali, while "turning a blind eye to the filming and circulation of fake videos" implicating her party leaders and women in the area.
A section of women protestors allegedly dragged the local TMC activist from a house and beat him up in the presence of the party's Sandeshkhali MLA Sukumar Mahata who was there for campaigning, a leader of the ruling party claimed.
As Mahata tried to intervene he was allegedly shoved by the protestors, he said.
Mahata blamed Patra and her supporters for "orchestrating" the attack on the local TMC activist, stating that the "BJP's gameplan to defame Bengal is clear before the people of the state".
"The BJP broke all precedents and tried to disrupt our campaign but we did not retaliate," he said.
A team of police personnel rushed to the spot and managed to rescue the TMC activist.
The riverine Sandeshkhali area — situated on the borders of the Sundarbans, about 100 kilometres from Kolkata — had been on the boil in February with protests over allegations of sexual abuse and land grab against now arrested TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his supporters.
In a purported video that surfaced from Sandeshkhali on Saturday night, a local BJP leader was heard saying that over 70 women had received Rs 2,000 each for taking part in protests against local TMC satrap Sheikh and his aides who were accused of sexual assault and land grab.
In the video, lasting over 45 minutes, a man resembling BJP's Sandeshkhali mandal president Gangadhar Kayal told this to the questioner.
It was Kayal who had earlier said in another purported clip, the first in a series in the past week, that the rape allegations were “staged”.
PTI did not independently verify the authenticity of the videos.
One of the women, who demonstrated outside the police station, denied the allegation, and said, "Were we protesting in February for money? The TMC are making false claims".
Patra, the BJP candidate for the Basirhat Lok Sabha seat, alleged that a saffron party worker in the area was "arrested on a false dacoity charge but many TMC activists, allegedly involved in atrocities on women, are roaming around freely".
Branding the BJP as a "violent" party, TMC spokesperson and state minister Shashi Panja said, "TMC poll campaigners are being attacked by BJP candidate from Basirhat, Rekha Patra, and her followers in Sandeshkhali after the conspiracy hatched by the BJP has come to light."
The incident of attack on the TMC activist and the party MLA took place on the day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to West Bengal and "possibly under his instruction", the state minister alleged.
BJP candidate for Baranagar assembly bypoll and party's spokesperson Sajal Ghosh said the incident reflected the simmering anger of people of Sandeshkhali against TMC.
"The assault on the TMC activist and manhandling of the local MLA is just a pointer. More such incidents may follow if the TMC does not stop bringing disgrace to the mothers and sisters of Sandeshkhali by releasing such fake videos," he said.
TMC's "diabolical gameplan" to deflect attention from the atrocities on women by its leaders in the area will backfire, Ghosh told reporters.
Patra, before being fielded by BJP, was at the forefront of the series of agitation by women in Sandeshkhali in February and March.
