Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge launched a frontal attack on the BJP as he campaigned for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) at Akkalkot, near Solapur, in Maharashtra on Wednesday.

“The BJP-backed Mahayuti is not a government which has been chosen by the people but a government created by deceit and bribery. Modi claims that this is a double-engine government but I call it a government of thieves. Such a government will not last for a long time,” thundered Kharge, switching between Kannada, Marathi and Hindi.

“Modi claimed that all black money kept abroad will be brought back and everybody would get Rs 15 lakh. He said that two crore jobs would be created. He told farmers that their incomes would be doubled, but it never happened. Soybean farmers are not getting the minimum support price (MSP),” he said and went on to reiterate promises made in the MVA election manifesto.

“Why did Modi take control of the Enforcement Directorate, CBI and all other departments? He did it to trouble people and terrorise them. He did not do it for the sake of development,” Kharge charged.

He said it was Pandit Nehru who introduced a mixed economy in this country. After that, the joint sector was started which brought both private and public sector together. Later, the co-operative sector was also started by the Congress under which milk co-operatives were started. “After that, they began selling all these to two of their friends–Adani and Ambani,” he alleged.

“Modi calls himself an OBC, but he never even looks at backward castes. Rather, he looks after two backward friends–Adani and Ambani. Both these gentlemen are backward and that is why Modi helps only these gentlemen. Do you think he is going to help the poor? This is a government of thieves,” he said .

Earlier during the day, the Congress chief attacked the BJP as he campaigned for the MVA at Latur in the state. Terming the BJP-led Mahayuti as a government of thieves, he said that the BJP and its ideological mentor, the RSS, played no role in India’s freedom struggle. “Congress leaders laid down their lives to keep the country and all communities united. On the contrary, the BJP and RSS had no contribution to the freedom movement and unity of the country,” he said.

He also criticised slogans being raised by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and PM Narendra Modi, like ‘Batenge To Katenge’ and ‘Ek Hai To Safe Hai’, which he said are divisive.

Kharge cited Mahayuti government figures and stated that suicide by farmers in Maharashtra has continued. “Seven farmers commit suicide daily in Maharashtra. About 62 per cent of India’s wealth is concentrated in the hands of only 5 per cent of the population. Only 3 per cent of wealth is held by 50 per cent of the poor. This is the government of Modi, Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar,” he charged.

He said that Modi should speak about his performance and ideology rather than spreading lies. “Modi lied about depositing Rs 15 lakh in the bank accounts of common people after bringing black money stashed in foreign banks before the 2014 polls and creating 2 crore jobs a year. Did he do it? He had talked about making cooking gas cylinders free, but instead of that the price of cooking gas has gone up. He had promised to double the incomes of farmers, but instead of that even the MSP which is already low is not being given to farmers,” Kharge said.

He stated that it is the Congress which had implemented the Right to Education Act, MNREGA and the Right to Food Act. Kharge also said that there was a time when India used to live on food grains imported from the USA but the Congress launched the Green Revolution. It was the Congress which implemented schemes like the MNREGA.

He held up a red coloured copy of the Constitution of India and said that “Only Ambedkar’s constitution guarantees protection to all sections of society. Modi says Congress is flaunting a blank copy of the Constitution. He even claims that its pages are blank,” he said.

In fact, targeting the PM who had ridiculed Congress leaders for waving copies of the Constitution, he said, “Modi says the red colour of the Constitution is Naxalite and calls the Opposition Urban Naxals. Yet, Modi gave the same copy of the Constitution to then President Ram Nath Kovind. Should we call them Urban Naxals? I would like to tell all the poor people that if the Ambedkar drafted Constitution is scrapped, then you will lose all your rights “.

“Members of the RSS and the BJP had burnt the Constitution of India at the Ram Leela Maidan in Delhi after it was adopted. SC, STs, you are not getting jobs. They have stopped recruitment. If the Congress and the MVA come to power we will fill up 2,50,000 posts immediately and bring investment to Maharashtra. We will give justice to OBCs and ensure more than 50 per cent reservation. That is why we plan to implement the caste census. But Modi claims that Congress and MVA are out to divide SCs, STs and OBCs,” Kharge said.