Kharge Accuses BJP of Undermining Constitution, Targeting Poor and Marginalised
BHUBANESWAR, July 11: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government of attempting to alter the Indian Constitution by removing key tenets such as secularism and socialism, while weakening laws protecting marginalised communities. Speaking at the party’s ‘Samvidhan Bachao Samavesh’ (Save the Constitution Convention) in Odisha’s capital, Kharge alleged that the BJP was on a “mission” to reshape the Constitution and suppress the rights of tribals, Dalits, women, and youth. “The saffron party has a mission to change the Constitution… The BJP government at the Centre is attempting to omit secularism and socialism from our Constitution,” Kharge said. Citing the Forest Rights Act introduced by the Congress in 2006, Kharge alleged that the Narendra Modi-led government was diluting its provisions in favour of industrial development, resulting in large-scale forest destruction. “In the name of industry, the BJP government is destroying forests everywhere. They will also wipe out Dalits, tribals and youth unless they learn to fight for their rights,” he said. Kharge also accused BJP supporters in Odisha of targeting Dalits and civil servants. “Two Dalit men were recently tonsured, forced to crawl on their knees, eat grass and drink dirty water in Odisha’s Ganjam district. A government officer in Bhubaneswar was also assaulted in public view,” he alleged. Criticising the Centre’s economic policies, the Congress leader said the Modi government has privatised 23 public sector undertakings (PSUs) established by previous Congress administrations. “Modi ji is selling public assets created by the Congress to his friends. He has only one agenda – to destroy the Constitution,” Kharge said, claiming that Modi’s push for a 400-plus majority in the last general election was aimed at enabling constitutional amendments. In a separate social media post, Kharge listed several development projects and institutions in Odisha initiated during Congress rule, including the Paradeep Port, Rourkela Steel Plant, Hirakud Dam, HAL Koraput, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, and the NALCO aluminium company. “Today, Modi ji is handing over the hard-earned assets of Odisha’s people to his billionaire friends. Mines, ports, airports, forests – everything is being given away,” he said. Kharge said despite Odisha’s wealth in natural resources, tribal populations in the state remain among the poorest in the world. “The question is – why?” he asked. The Congress chief also targeted the Election Commission over its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, claiming the process was being misused to disenfranchise poor and marginalised voters ahead of state assembly elections later this year. He welcomed the Supreme Court’s intervention in the matter, which mandated that Aadhaar, Voter ID, and Ration Cards be accepted as valid documents for voter eligibility. Kharge also criticised the Modi government’s silence over former U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims of having mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan during a past military standoff. “Trump claimed 16 times that he had brokered a ceasefire with India. But Modi ji remained silent. A leader who can’t protect his own country cannot be considered strong,” he said.
