Rahul leads Congress fast against BJP; calls Modi 'anti-Dalit'

 Congress president Rahul Gandhi arrives at Rajghat before stating day-long fast against caste violence, communalism and the non-functioning of Parliament at Rajghat, in New Delhi on Monday. PTI Photo
 

Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being 'casteist' and 'anti-Dalit', and said his party will always stand against the BJP's 'oppressive' ideology.

  New Delhi, April 9 (PTI): Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday led his party's nationwide daylong fast against caste violence, communalism and the non-functioning of Parliament, for which it blames the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, and to promote peace and harmony.   Gandhi sat for several hours at Rajghat and was joined by senior leaders, including Kamal Nath, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sheila Dikshit, Ashok Gehlot, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken and the party’s communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala. Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being ‘casteist’ and ‘anti-Dalit’, and said his party will always stand against the BJP’s ‘oppressive’ ideology.   Speaking to reporters at Rajghat, Gandhi also said the grand old party will defeat the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in the 2019 general election.   "The entire country knows that PM Modi is anti-Dalit, it is not a secret...The BJP follows ideology of oppressing Dalits, tribals, minorities. We will stand against and defeat it in 2019 general polls," Gandhi told reporters.   BJP's Dalit  MPs say prime minister Modi is 'casteist', he said.   The 1984 anti-Sikh riots cast a shadow over the 'Sadhbhawna Upwas' (fast for harmony) with Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler, listed as accused for their alleged role in the riots, being asked to stay away from the stage where Gandhi and the other leaders were sitting.   While Kumar left the venue soon thereafter, Tytler sat in the audience along with party workers.   The fast at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial was replicated across the country by Congress workers in all state and district headquarters.   Another controversy erupted when BJP leader Harish Khurana claimed that several Delhi Congress leaders were seen eating at a restaurant before sitting on the fast.   An image was also shared, in which the Congress leaders Haroon Yusuf, Arvinder Singh Lovely, Ajay Maken and others can be seen eating.   However, Lovely claimed that the photo was taken before 8 am.   "Photograph was taken before 8 am. This is a symbolic fast from 10.30 am to 4.30pm. It is not an indefinite hunger strike. This is what is wrong with these (BJP) people. Instead of properly running the country, they concentrate on what we eat," he told ANI.   Party leaders said the fast for harmony is also against the communal politics of the BJP and non-functioning of Parliament, where the Congress wanted to debate issues of national importance such as the Punjab National Bank scam, Central Board of Secondary Education paper leak, alleged dilution of SC/ST Act, special status to Andhra Pradesh and setting up of the Cauvery water management board.   "This is a fight for the ideology and values which India represents. We won't allow the politics of hatred and division aimed at garnering votes to succeed," Surjewala told reporters.   Alleging that the Modi government's politics of hatred and division had marred this country, he said, “Divide and rule is the policy, like the Britishers (sic), of the present BJP government. Divide the society, divide religions, divide communities, divide castes, that is the DNA of the Modi government.”   He said the government had divided the country on religious lines and was now trying to divide it between Dalit and non-Dalits.   Congress workers were fasting across the country to convey to people in the country that they should not be allured by the ‘diversionary and divisive tactics of the Modi government’.   It is the duty of the Congress, the party which fought for India's independence, to ensure that mutual brotherhood, compassion and love, respect for each other, prevails in our society with all its diversity and pluralism, Surjewala said.   "That is an idea we will continue to defend," he said.   Asked about the row over Kumar and Tytler, he said, “Some conspirators in the BJP try to find meaning in everything small or the big thing.”   He alleged that those who talk about such issues are taking sides with those who want to divide society.   "We will fight against the conspiracy till the last breath, sacrificing blood under Rahul-ji's leadership," Surjewala said.   He said certain 'conspirators' of the BJP were trying to 'belittle' the large idea of pluralism, inclusiveness, mutual brotherhood and mutual co-habitation, which is symbolic of the very essence of India.   With ANI inputs.