Hisar (Haryana): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday slammed Congress for "humiliating" B.R Ambedkar even as he challenged the grand old party to appoint a Muslim as its president and give 50 percent tickets to people from the community.
The PM was addressing a gathering in Haryana's Hisar, where he flagged off the first direct commercial flight from Hisar to Ayodhya and laid the foundation stone for the new terminal at Hisar airport and several other developmental projects.
PM Modi said every decision and policy of his government "is dedicated to Baba Saheb Ambedkar". He accused the Congress of "humiliating" Ambedkar and "trying to erase his memory", noting that historically Congress fought elections "against" Ambedkar.
"We should not forget what they did with Ambedkar; till he was alive, the Congress insulted him, he was defeated in polls twice," the PM said. He targeted the Congress, stating that there were 74 airports before 2014, and that number has now exceeded 150.
Modi attacked the Congress on the changes made by it in the Waqf law in 2013. "If the Congress really has sympathy for Muslims, it should appoint a Muslim as its president and give 50 percent tickets to people from the community," the Prime Minister said, accusing the party of pursuing a policy of appeasement which benefited none.
He also said Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar advocated that there should be no reservation based on religion and the Constitution also bars it, but the Congress government in Karnataka gave reservation in tenders based on religion by "snatching away" the rights of the SCs, Scheduled Tribes and the OBC.
He alleged the Congress followed a policy of appeasement which "pleased" only a few "fundamentalists" from among Muslims, while the rest of the community remained neglected, illiterate and poor. "The biggest proof of this Congress' policy was the amendments it made in the Waqf law on the eve of the 2014 general elections," Modi said.
"From Independence till 2013, there was a Waqf law. But to win elections, and in pursuing a politics of appeasement and vote bank, the Congress made amendments in the Waqf law hurriedly late in 2013 so that it could get votes in elections (a few months later in 2014)," said Modi.
Modi said the changes effected by the Congress were "the biggest insult to Babasaheb" as they violated the Constitution he built. "If they (the Congress) really have some sympathy for Muslims, they should appoint their president from the Muslim community. Why don't they do it?" he asked.
The Congress never had any intention of doing any good to anybody, including Muslims, he said. "This is the real truth of the Congress." He said the Waqf board owns lakhs of hectares of land in the country, which could have been utilised for the benefit of the poor, the destitute women and children. "Had it been honestly utilised, Muslim youths would not have to spend their lives fixing puncture tyres."
"It benefited only a handful of land mafia. There was no gain to Pasmanda Muslims. This land mafia was looting the land of Dalits, downtrodden, 'aadiwasis' and widows. Hundreds of widows women wrote to the Centre and then a debate on this law took place," said Modi.
After the amendment to the Waqf law -- enacted by his government and implemented from April 8 after the presidential approval to the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 -- such loot of the poor will stop, he said.
"We have made another amendment in the Waqf law. Under this, the Waqf board now cannot even touch the land and property of any 'aadiwasi' in the country," he said.
Modi had recently said the new Waqf law was a significant step taken by his government towards social justice. He said the previous law, enacted in 2013, was an attempt for appeasement of land mafia and Muslim fundamentalists.
"We have done a big job of protecting the rights of Aadiwasi and following the spirit of the constitution," he asserted. With the new provisions, the pious spirit of the Waqf will also be respected, he noted. "Poor Muslim, Pasmanda families, Muslim women especially widows and children will also get their rights and their rights will remain protected in future," he said.
Continuing his attack, PM Modi said that the SCs, STs, and OBCs were treated like "second-class citizens" by the Congress. "Congress treated SCs, STs, and OBCs as second-class citizens in this country. While Congress leaders enjoyed luxuries like swimming pools, only 16 out of every 100 households in villages had access to piped water and among those affected the most were SCs, STs, and OBCs."
"In just six to seven years, our government provided water connections to over 12 crore rural households. Now, 80 out of every 100 rural homes have access to clean water, and we are committed to taking that number to 100 per cent," he said.
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