The Aryavarth Express
Agency(Kerala): During his election campaign speeches in Wayanad and Kozhikode, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sharply criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), claiming they are threatening the diverse fabric of India. He expressed concerns over people’s growing apprehensions about freely practicing their religions and maintaining their cultural traditions.
Gandhi emphasized that, under a Congress-led government, citizenship would not be defined by caste, religion, or language but by a broader conception of what it means to be Indian. This statement came as a response to what he perceives as divisive policies propagated by the current government.
Addressing corruption, Gandhi targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the electoral bonds scheme, which was intended to increase transparency in political funding. However, Gandhi alleged that the scheme had become a tool for extortion, organized by the Prime Minister himself, and highlighted its recent invalidation by the Supreme Court for violating constitutional freedoms.
Gandhi reassured that the Congress is committed to upholding the Constitution and protecting the rights of every Indian against any harm from the BJP and RSS. He criticized Modi’s vision of “one nation, one leader, one language,” calling it a misunderstanding of India’s pluralistic strengths.
Further, Gandhi accused the BJP of attempting to dominate all constitutional institutions in India, insinuating that the RSS is infiltrating these bodies to serve partisan interests, a claim he extended to question why the BJP has not targeted Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan like it has other non-BJP chief ministers.
He concluded his critique by reinforcing his commitment to the constitutional values that safeguard every Indian’s cultural and linguistic identity. Gandhi’s campaign trail continues in Kerala, with the region set to vote soon in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.