Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday accused the BJP of being “anti-poor, anti-dalit and anti-tribal” and said the BJP’s style of working is “mooh me Ram, bagal me churi” (sweet words but nefarious actions).

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday accused the BJP of being anti-poor, anti-dalit and anti-tribal and said that the BJP’s style is “moonh me Ram, bagal me churi” (sweet words, nefarious actions).

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi brags about making a tribal woman the President of India, but what is the use of giving any post when you cannot give respect and dignity to that person?” he questioned while addressing an election rally at tribal-dominated Dindori district of Madhya Pradesh.

“Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building, but did not invite President Droupadi Murmu just because she is a tribal. The same disrespect was meted out to former dalit President Ramnath Kovind… Modi did not invite Kovind for the foundation laying ceremony of the new Parliament building,” he alleged.

Kharge also hit out at the prime minister for portraying that everything good happened in India only after he became the prime minister. “The BJP takes credit for everything without having done anything,” he averred.

“Jawaharlal Nehru and Bhimrao Ambedkar gave voting powers to women in India after independence when women in many foreign countries did not have the voting rights,” he asserted.

He further alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) only spreads false propaganda that it is working for the welfare of the dalits, adivasis and poor, but the reality is exactly the opposite.

“The Modi government has given all the resources of the country, including airports, sea ports and other establishments, into the hands of a few businessmen like Adani and Ambani,” he said.

“The poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer in the Modi regime,” he added.

He asserted that the Congress is the party that has been working sincerely for the dalits, poor and tribals since independence.

“It was former prime minister Indira Gandhi who made a Dalit the President of India, or the first woman President of India and the first woman Lok Sabha Speaker,” the Congress chief stated.

“In the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, there are 47 seats reserved for the scheduled tribes (ST), but we are fielding 48 ST candidates only because they deserve it,” he asserted.

Launching an attack on the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in the state, Kharge said the saffron party did nothing for the development or welfare of people in its 18 year-rule.

“Chouhan did nothing for the elderly, women and children for so many years, but now that the polls are near, he is hugging elderly women and putting kids in his lap,” Kharge said.

“These people are fake. Do not get fooled by their antics,” he told the crowd.

“When the Congress comes to power in the state, education from KG to class 12 will be free and all your needs will also be fulfilled,” he assured.

Urging people to vote the Congress to power, Kharge said, “The country and Madhya Pradesh will change for the better with the Congress.”

Polling for the MP assembly elections is scheduled for November 17.