BJP burnt Manipur, attempted to divide people across India on religious lines: Rahul Gandhi

In a no-holds-barred attack on the BJP, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the saffron party of burning Manipur and making attempts to divide people across the country on religious lines.

He also alleged that the saffron party deprived 90 per cent of the nation's population of their due rights and benefits.

"The BJP burnt Manipur and attempted to divide people on religious lines. It incited Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs against each other. In recently held Haryana elections, the BJP incited Jats against non-Jats...It is the character of the BJP," Gandhi alleged while addressing an election rally in Lohardaga.

The Congress leader also claimed that he undertook a 4,000-km padyatra from Kashmir to Kanyakumari to "spread the message of love and to open 'nafrat ke bazar me Mohabbat ki dukan' (to open shops of love in the market of hatred)".

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"When I raise my voice for tribals and Dalits, the BJP accuses me of dividing India. I am here to unite and strengthen India. If I am wrong for raising the voice for 90 per cent of India's population, which constitutes tribals, Dalits and OBCs, for their participation in governance, I will continue to do so," Gandhi claimed.

He alleged that the BJP waived loans of 25 capitalists worth Rs 16 lakh crore but blamed the ongress for easing farmers' debts to the tune of Rs 72,000 crore during the UPA regime.

"Did the BJP government waive any loan of Jharkhand farmers?...No because you are tribals, Dalits and OBCs. The BJP will never waive your debts because it waives debts of capitalists," he alleged.

This was Gandhi’s second visit to Jharkhand after the announcement of the assembly polls.

The elections will be held in two phases on November 13 and 20, and the counting of votes will take place on November 23.