Lok Sabha Elections 2024 | Congress leaders communal, countdown to disintegration of I.N.D.I.A. has begun: PM Modi

'After June 4 (when the results will be announced), the opposition bloc will cease to exist. The countdown of the disintegration of the I.N.D.I. alliance has begun,' said PM Modi.

Jhargram (WB): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asserted that following the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections, the Congress and the I.N.D.I.A. bloc face imminent defeat, marking the beginning of the opposition front's disintegration.

Speaking at a rally in West Bengal's Jhargram, Modi accused Congress leaders of communalism, alleging that they intend to take away the reservations of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to give them to Muslims.

"After the fifth phase of polls, the TMC and the I.N.D.I. alliance stand defeated. After June 4 (when the results will be announced), the opposition bloc will cease to exist. The countdown of the disintegration of the I.N.D.I. alliance has begun," he said.

The Prime Minister accused the Congress of being a communal party that still has the thought process of the Muslim League.

"The Congress wants to give reservation benefits to the Muslims by snatching the rights of SCs, STs and OBCs. The Congress leaders are 100 per cent communal. This is the truth of Congress, which the party and its ecosystem did not allow to be revealed to the countrymen for years," he said.

"Many journalists asked me about Muslim reservation during my recent interviews, but see, Congress 'Shehzada' himself is emphasising it in his video," he said.

Referring to a video that has gone viral on social media, Modi said, "On one hand, Manmohan Singh had said Muslims had the first right to Bharat's resources. On the other, the Shehzada of Congress, in a video surfaced on social media, is seen saying Congress will give reservation to Muslims."

The Prime Minister said he has seen the video of Congress Shehzada (Rahul Gandhi), which is 11-12 years old.

"I have seen a video of the 'Shehzada' of Congress on social media. In this 11-12 year-old video, the prince of Congress is openly saying the Congress will give reservation to Muslims," he said.

Shehzada (Prince) is a term used by the BJP to mock Rahul Gandhi and criticise dynasty politics in the Congress.

Modi slammed the I.N.D.I.A. bloc over the issue of reservation and said they want to give reservations based on religion.

"Babasaheb Ambedkar was against providing reservations based on religion. But now, the INDIA bloc wants to give reservations based on religion. In Karnataka, they gave OBC reservations to Muslims, do you want to put an end to your reservations?" he asked.

Modi said although the Congress for more than half a century gave the slogan of 'Garibi Hatao' (remove poverty), 'but it was none but Modi only who made India the world's fifth largest economy, who pulled the country's 25 crore people out of poverty'.

The Prime Minister, who was scheduled to address a rally at Tamluk, did it virtually from Jhargram, as his chopper couldn't land due to poor weather.