Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took a dig at Congress, accusing it of fostering vote bank politics by opposing the recently amended Waqf Act.
Addressing a public rally in Hisar, the Prime Minister alleged that the Congress had long treated Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) as second-class citizens, while neglecting the principles of equality championed by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
“Congress has become the destroyer of the Constitution,” PM Modi declared. “Dr. Ambedkar envisioned a nation where the poor and backward could live with dignity and pursue their dreams. But Congress spread the virus of vote bank politics, betraying that vision.”
He further claimed that under Congress rule, basic banking services were out of reach for marginalized communities. “During their time, banks wouldn’t even open their doors for SCs, STs, and OBCs. Loans and welfare schemes were mere fantasies. Today, the majority of beneficiaries under the Jan Dhan Yojana are from these very communities,” he said.
Turning his focus to the Waqf Board, the Prime Minister criticized what he described as large-scale mismanagement and misuse of land meant for community welfare.
“There are lakhs of hectares of land under Waqf, yet the poor never benefitted from it. Instead, land mafias thrived. This will end with the amended Waqf Act,” he said. “Under the new provisions, no land or property belonging to Adivasis can be claimed by the Waqf Board. This is a step toward genuine social justice. Poor and Pasmanda Muslims will now receive what is rightfully theirs.”
PM Modi also accused Congress of attempting to erase Dr. Ambedkar’s legacy, alleging that the party actively worked against him during his lifetime.
“Congress humiliated Babasaheb, made him lose elections twice, and tried to erase his contribution. While Dr. Ambedkar was a protector of the Constitution, Congress has repeatedly acted as its destroyer,” he said.
Highlighting achievements under his government, the Prime Minister contrasted his administration’s development initiatives with what he described as decades of Congress neglect.
“While Congress leaders lived in luxury with swimming pools, only 16 out of every 100 village households had piped water connections. In just six to seven years, we’ve provided clean drinking water to over 12 crore rural households. Today, 80 percent of rural homes have tap water, and we’re working to achieve 100 percent coverage.”
He also reiterated his party’s commitment to a Uniform Civil Code, referencing its implementation in BJP-ruled Uttarakhand.
“The Constitution calls for one civil code for all citizens—a truly secular code. Congress never had the courage to implement it. But we have, and Congress continues to oppose it,” he asserted.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi flagged off the first direct commercial flight from Hisar Airport to Ayodhya and laid the foundation stone for a new terminal at Hisar Airport. Several other developmental projects were also inaugurated during the event.
(ANI)