Sapkal accuses BJP, Fadnavis, Modi and Shah over "save democracy" rallies

Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal has levelled a series of allegations against the BJP, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The BJP is currently holding "save democracy and Constitution" rallies across the country. On Sunday, November 1, the INDIA bloc held a large demonstration at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar. The events have again heated up the political climate in Maharashtra.

Sapkal said the INDIA bloc's "Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao" rally at Ramlila Maidan was unprecedented and had badly shaken the Modi government in Delhi. He said the BJP was holding its "Save Democracy, Save Constitution" rallies across the country only because it had been rattled by that rally. He claimed that the BJP and the RSS were the real killers of the Constitution and democracy. He also said it was laughable for Chief Minister Fadnavis to accuse the Congress on the Constitution and democracy.

Sapkal said the RSS, the BJP's parent organisation, does not accept Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution, and that BJP members openly talk of changing it. In his words, the BJP has the Constitution on its lips and the Manusmriti in its mind. He said the BJP's outcry about saving democracy and the Constitution was a case of "the thief shouting louder than the victim".

Challenging Fadnavis, Sapkal said that despite 13 years in power, the BJP still blames only Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, and does not say what it has done itself. He alleged that the Modi and Fadnavis governments came to power in the 2024 elections through vote theft, that the theft has been caught and that they will lose power. He alleged that they have lost sleep out of fear of action once they are out of power.

Sapkal also said the Modi-Shah government, with the help of Gyanesh Kumar, is depriving 13 crore citizens of the vote. He alleged that the BJP government is snatching away the right to vote given by the Constitution. He said much is said about infiltrators, but no one says how many have been caught. He urged Fadnavis, if he had the courage, to release the figures on infiltrators and not to take away citizens' right to vote in the name of infiltrators. He added that in a democracy, regime change means a change of power through elections, which is what political parties exist for, and asked why Modi, Shah and Fadnavis fear it so much.

Sapkal also made allegations about constitutional bodies. He alleged that during Prime Minister Modi's tenure there has been an attempt to take over all constitutional institutions and hijack democracy. He said people linked to the Sangh and the BJP have been placed in these institutions and in universities, effectively taking them over. Saying the Election Commission does not even send a notice to the ruling party, he described its functioning as chaos. He also noted that retired judges are openly saying that the BJP government's interference in the judiciary has grown enormously.

Sapkal said the BJP raised the "400 paar" slogan in the Lok Sabha election in order to change the Constitution. He said many BJP leaders had said at public meetings that they would change the Constitution if they came to power, and that Fadnavis has conveniently forgotten this.

Speaking about Rahul Gandhi, Sapkal asked why the red-covered Constitution in the hands of the Leader of the Opposition upsets the BJP, and why the party is so afraid of the colour red. He said Rahul Gandhi is only showing Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution. He claimed the BJP is raging because the ground has slipped from under its feet, and is making a scene because its theft has been caught. Asking why there is so much fury if Rahul Gandhi is of no consequence, Sapkal said the journey that began with "Who is Rahul?" has now begun to shake the Modi-Shah government. He added that Modi and Shah now see Rahul Gandhi even in their sleep and are frightened.