BJP 'attacking' the Constitution: Rahul Gandhi

Congress President Rahul Gandhi today accused the BJP of "attacking" the Constitution and vowed to thwart any attempt to change the statute.

Addressing a rally in poll-bound Karnataka after visiting a temple of Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Mysuru, he said the BJP was not only snatching away people's money through note ban and GST, but "there is new fashion now, they are attacking the Constitution."

"Hear it from here. We will not allow the BJP to change the Constitution. How much ever BJP forces its way to change the Constitution, we will make sure that the Congress will protect the work of Ambedkarji," he told the gathering,

Gandhi is on the fourth leg of campaign tour in Karnataka, covering Mandya, Mysuru and Chamarajnagar districts during his two-day visit.

He had earlier toured the northern, coastal and Malnad regions.

The Congress president accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being "insensitive" towards problems related to jobs and demonetization.

"I interacted with young students this morning. One of the girl students stood up and asked me about Narendra Modiji's promise to give two crore jobs every year and his "Make In India" programme... but that turned out to be an empty promise and there was no weight behind those words," he said at the rally held here as part of "Janashirvada Yatre" . Gandhi said nobody has benefited from the note ban and questioned the rationale of having five different GST rates, including 28 per cent.

"A girl stands up and says nobody has been benefited by the note ban. Another girl stands up and says why are there five separate rates, including 28 per cent. ... It only means that the students aged between 18 to 20 years have understood the problems, but Narendra Modji is yet to understand," he added.

Gandhi also alleged that through demonetization, most of the "cheats" converted their black money into white by depositing it in banks.

The Congress president began his speech by invoking Tipu Sultan, the 18th century Mysore ruler, Krishnaraja Wodayar, 24th maharaja of the erstwhile Mysore kingdom, Sir M Vishveshwariah, renowned engineer, and Kuvempu, Kannada poet, by remembering their contributions to Karnataka and India.