‘Cong strangled Constitution during Emergency’

Hoshiarpur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday attacked the Congress for “ranting” about the Constitution when it was the one that “strangled” it during the Emergency and not care about it when Sikhs were killed in the 1984 riots.

“Sikhs were killed after putting burning tyres around them. At that time, they did not care about the Constitution,” Modi said in his last poll rally in the seven-phase election.

At the rally in favour of his party’s Hoshiarpur candidate Anita Som Parkash and Anandpur Sahib nominee Subhash Sharma here, the Prime Minister also touched upon the issues of reservation, corruption and the Ram Temple.

Hitting back at the Congress for its charge that the BJP would scrap the Constitution if voted to power, Modi said, “Nowadays people of the country are hearing rants from INDI alliance about the Constitution. These are the same people who strangled constitution during Emergency”.

He also charged that the intentions of the Congress and INDIA alliance over the issue of reservation are “dangerous”.

“In the last 10 years, I have always protected reservation for SC/ST/OBCs,” he said.

“Congress and INDI alliance are enraged over my efforts. Their intentions on reservation are dangerous. Their complete track record has been to snatch reservation of SC, ST and OBC,” he said, adding he has always protected the reservation for SC/ST and OBCs.

Accusing the opposition of insulting the spirit of the Constitution and sentiments of B R Ambedkar, he said they want reservation on the basis of religion in government jobs, in sports, in govt tenders and admission in universities.

The PM charged that opposition want to give reservation rights to Muslims after snatching it from Dalits and downtrodden.

“It is a very big conspiracy to divide the country on the basis of religion,” he alleged as he slammed the INDIA alliance.