Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge writes letter to PM Modi, calls for debate on party’s manifesto

Kharge said that "the only appeasement policy that we have seen in the last 10 years is the appeasement of Chinese by you and your ministers."

New Delhi: Reiterating the promises made by the Congress party in its public declaration for Lok Sabha elections 2024, Congress Party President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday wrote a letter, challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP for a debate on the party’s manifesto.

Referring to the letter written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi candidates ahead of the third phase of voting, asking them to raise awareness about Congress’ ‘divisive’ agenda, Kharge in the letter to PM wrote, “From the tone and content of the letter it seems that there is a lot of desperation and worry in you which is leading you to use language that does not suit the office of the Prime Minister. The letter makes it look like the lies in your speeches are not having the effect you intended and now you want your candidates to amplify your lies. Repeating a lie a thousand times will not make it the truth”.

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The senior Congress leader reiterated, the guarantees made by the party in its manifesto for Lok Sabha election, including, Yuva Nyay, Nari Nyay, Kisan Nyay, Shramik Nyay and Hissedari Nyay.

Hitting back at the BJP, over appeasement politics accusations made by them on the Congress, Kharge said that “the only appeasement policy that we have seen in the last 10 years is the appeasement of Chinese by you and your ministers.” Kharge further targeted the Centre for refusing to call China as ‘Ghuspaithiye’, giving a clean chit to the country even as 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in the Galwan valley.

He also accused the Centre of increasing Chinese imports, by 54.76% in the past 5 years alone. In his response to PM Modi’s accusation that the Congress would divert resources from SC, ST, and OBC communities to its “votebank,” Kharge clarified that the “Vote Bank” encompasses all Indians, including the disadvantaged, women, youth with aspirations, the working class, Dalits, and Adivasis.

“Our votebank is every Indian – the poor, the marginalised, the women, the aspirational youth, the labour class, the Dalits and the Adivasis. Everyone knows it is the RSS and BJP who opposed reservations at every stage since 1947. Everyone knows it is the RSS and BJP which wants to change the Constitution to end reservation. Your leaders have openly spoken about it. You need to clarify why you are opposed to reservation to SC, ST and OBCs on the basis of their population as per Article 16 of our Constitution,” he stated in the letter.

Through the letter, Kharge requested the Prime Minister to instruct his party to reimburse the Rs 10 crore allegedly misappropriated from Dalit farmers in Gujarat and used to purchase electoral bonds for the BJP. Kharge claimed that the BJP had amassed Rs 8,250 crore through “illegal and unconstitutional means”.

Clarifying party’s stand on the inheritance Tax, Kharge claimed that it is the BJP leaders who have mentioned in their speeches, to bring the inheritance tax.

“Your letter lies that Congress wants to bring Inheritance Tax when it is your former Finance Minister and your party leaders who have repeatedly mentioned they want Inheritance Tax. People can see these speeches and comments of your leaders online,” Kharge wrote.

Kharge also highlighted that the low voter turnout during the initial two phases of the Lok Sabha election signals a lack of public enthusiasm toward the government’s policies.

Targeting the BJP leaders and PM Modi for his “hate speeches” and challenging the BJP for a debate over the Congress party’s manifesto, Kharge in the letter wrote “Our manifesto speaks of Nyay and how we will bring growth for all sections of the society.

It is better as the Prime Minister if you seek votes on the performance of your government over the last ten years instead of indulging in hate speeches.

The Congress Party would like to challenge you or anyone you depute to debate with us on our manifesto and the points you have made”.