Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the BJP of turning a deaf ear to the struggles of backward classes.

“In Jharkhand, BJP had reduced the reservation for backward classes from 27% to 14%. On one hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gives speeches saying- ‘I belong to the backward class’. On the other hand, they reduce the reservation for backward classes, snatch away your land and make you unemployed through demonetization,” he said at a rally in Mahagama in the poll-bound state.

“That is why we have decided in Jharkhand—ST reservation will be 28%, we will create 12% reservation for SCs, and we will ensure 27% reservation for OBCs,” he said.

The Gandhi scion also said that his party was not scared of Narendra Modi and accused the BJP of attempting to hand over Mumbai’s Dharavi slums to businessman Gautam Adani.

“We are not scared of Narendra Modi, the 56-inch chest man and Mann ki Baat. Narendra Modi is a puppet of billionaires. Whatever the billionaires say, Narendra Modi does the same. Modi ji has waived off Rs 16 lakh crore of billionaires by snatching the money of the poor. Dharavi’s land worth Rs 1 lakh crore in Maharashtra is also being handed over to Adani. The truth is that our government in Maharashtra has been toppled only to grab land,” he said.

Further, he attacked the BJP and RSS governments, accusing them of trying to undermine the Constitution.

“The BJP and RSS are trying to break the Constitution. The Constitution contains the soul of the people, and they are trying to destroy it. You try to spread injustice and hate in the country if you do not follow the Constitution, and the BJP and RSS have been doing this continuously. If you want to break the Constitution, come forward, and you will see the public is not scared of you,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Congress leader’s helicopter was grounded for nearly two hours at Godda in Jharkhand due to lack of clearance from the air traffic control (ATC).

Coming to his defence, MLA and Congress candidate from Mahagama constituency, Deepika Pandey Singh said, “Just because the PM is in Deogarh, Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to cross that area…There is the protocol we understand, but the Congress ruled the country for 70 years and such an incident never happened with any opposition leader…This is not acceptable.”

The Congress accused the BJP of deliberate obstruction, suggesting that the delay was politically motivated.

According to sources, the helicopter’s clearance was held up due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Jamui, Bihar, which affected the airspace availability in the region.

The first phase of 81-member Jharkhand Assembly election 2024 was held on November 13 and the second phase will be held on November 20. The counting of votes will take place on November 23.