BJP attempting to omit secularism, socialism from Constitution: Kharge

Bhubaneswar: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday alleged that the BJP-led Central government was attempting to omit secularism and socialism from the Constitution, and weakening legislations meant to protect the poor and tribals.

Addressing the party’s ‘Samvidhan Bachao Samavesh’ here, Kharge also said that tribals, dalits, women and youths of the country will have to learn to fight for their rights under the BJP rule.

“The saffron party has a mission to change the Constitution... The BJP government at the Centre is attempting to omit secularism and socialism from our Constitution,” he asserted.

Kharge said the Congress had introduced the Forest Rights Act in 2006 to protect the poor and tribals.

However, the Narendra Modi-led government is trying to weaken the legislation, he alleged.

“In the name of industry, the BJP government is destroying forests everywhere... They will also wipe out dalits, tribals and youths unless they learn to fight for their rights,” he claimed.

Kharge also accused BJP supporters in Odisha of attacking Dalits and government officers in Odisha.

“Two dalit men were recently tonsured, made to crawl on their knees, forced to eat grass and drink dirty water in Odisha’s Ganjam... A government officer in Bhubaneswar was also assaulted in full public view,” he alleged.

Hitting out at the Centre, he also said that the Congress governments set up 160 PSUs in India, while the BJP dispensation “privatised 23 of those”.

“Modi ji is selling public assets created by the Congress to his friends. He has only one agenda – to destroy the Constitution. During the last Lok Sabha elections, he had urged voters for 400-plus seats so that he could change the Constitution,” the Congress president said.

Later in a post on X, Kharge said during the Congress governments, the Paradeep Port, Rourkela Steel Plant, Hirakud Dam, NALCO, NTPC, Chilika Naval Academy, Rail Coach Factory in Mancheswar, HAL in Koraput, and the Ordnance Factory were established.

“Under Congress rule, AIIMS, NISER, Institute of Physics, and many educational institutions were set up in Bhubaneswar. A plan was made for the transformation of Kalahandi, Balangir, and Koraput KBK districts. But what is happening today?

“Modi ji is handing over the hard-earned money of Odisha’s people to his billionaire friends. All government factories, government companies, mines, port, airport, forests, land – everything is being given to a few of Modi ji’s friends,” he claimed.