New Delhi, Nov 25(India Today): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has blamed the Congress party for the delay in the construction of Ram mandir at the disputed site in Ayodhya, in his election rally in Rajasthan's Alwar.
In his first appearance in Alwar, on Sunday, after the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Vasundhara Raje assumed power almost five years back, PM Modi targetted Congress in every aspect of administration and operation -- Ram mandir issue, Congress's delay in naming their chief ministerial candidate for the December 7 assembly elections, and vote-bank politics.
"Congress is dragging judiciary into politics. Congress is creating an atmosphere of fear for the judiciary. One of their leaders asked the Supreme Court to delay the Ayodhya hearing because of 2019 polls. When a judge doesn't pay heed to their demands, they try to use impeachment to threaten judiciary. But I urge the judiciary to keep on treading the path of justice without any fear," he said.
The clarion call for the construction of Ram mandir has reached its pinnacle with the Shiv Sena and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) organising a Dharm Sabha in Ayodhya today. They opened war on the Centre saying they wanted the entire land for the construction of the temple and the construction to be expedited.
With this rumble going on in Ayodhya, the Uttar Pradesh government jumped in with its two cents and said the Shiv Sena did not have any hand in this movement and that it was doing this for a political advantage.
At the Alwar rally, PM Modi further accused Congress of communalism.
He said, "When I go abroad, they don't see my caste, they just see India and its people. But Congress only focusses on my caste. They are working towards breaking the country on communal lines. The BJP has always strived to strengthen the secular fibre of the nation."
"When a Congress leader humiliated me over my caste, he was suspended from the party. But, after two months, he was cordially welcomed. Marginalised communities are just vote-bank for them. That's what caste means to them. Everyone knows their conduct towards Dr BR Ambedkar. They did not even confer him Bharat Ratna," he added.
Modi also took upon Congress over the delay in furnishing the candidate list for the elections and naming their chief ministerial candidate.
"Congress is a confused party. They are confused about their chief ministerial candidates. Their leader is so confused," he said.
Congress has still not named who the chief minister would be, if it regains power in the state. Both - former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and state party president Sachin Pilot - are contesting election from their respective seats and are said to be in the race to be the head of the state.
"Congress is now asking my caste, abusing my mother as they don't have any other agenda to fight the polls on. They don't have any vision for the welfare of India or Rajasthan," he said.
PM Modi added, "What the Congress did in 50 years, Vasundhara Raje did in five years. Now, you have to decide if are you going to vote for the BJP or for a party which will make you wait 50 years to get work done."
Voting will be held in Rajasthan in a single phase on December 7 and the votes will be counted on December 11.