Bengaluru, July 16 (IANS) Criticising the Congress National OBC Advisory Council meeting in Bengaluru, the Karnataka BJP has hit out at the grand old party, saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi hails from most backward class and does not divide people on the basis of communities.

Addressing the media here, State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra charged that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is under the illusion that he alone is the champion of backward classes and the AHINDA (a Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes, and Dalits) cause.

“Narendra Modi Ji served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and carried out extensive development work there,” Vijayendra said.

“For the past 11 years since 2014, he has been continuously leading the nation as the Prime Minister. Narendra Modi Ji belongs to one of the most backward communities and is a common man,” he added.

He stressed that Prime Minister Modi does not come from a political dynasty.

Vijayendra said, “Mr. Siddaramaiah, unlike you, Narendra Modi Ji is not a ‘lucky’ Chief Minister or a lottery winner. Through his own hard work, with a distinct vision for the nation, and a firm commitment to India’s development, he has been serving the country tirelessly for the past 11 years.”

“PM Modi Ji, though belonging to a backward class, has never used his identity for political mileage like you do. Instead, he has led the country by uniting all sections of society under the vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’ (Together with all, development for all, trust of all, effort by all),” he added.

“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has consistently painted the BJP as being against social justice and minorities. But the Chief Minister must remember that the first citizen of the country, our respected President Droupadi Murmu, comes from a tribal community,” Vijayendra noted.

“In the past, it was the BJP that made A.P.J. Abdul Kalam the country’s President, not the Congress. Currently, there are BJP Chief Ministers from Scheduled Caste and Tribes in six states and from backward classes in four states across the country,” he stressed.

“The Congress party is sowing the poisonous seeds of caste division and trying to break society. It has no genuine concern for backward classes, SCs, STs, or minorities — its concern is mere crocodile tears,” Vijayendra criticised.

“Every welfare scheme introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been inclusive and far-reaching. While Congress only talks about Muslims, it was Narendra Modi Ji who took the bold step of abolishing the triple talaq,” he said.

“We have no reason to fear Rahul Gandhi or Siddaramaiah — or the Congress party itself. Narendra Modi Ji has taken a principled and sincere stand on caste census. But where is Siddaramaiah now? His theatrics and drama will not work,” Vijayendra said in response to another query.

–IANS

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