Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Smriti Irani hits out at Rahul Gandhi in scathing attack

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Bengaluru said, "Efforts are being made to weaken democracy. Today there is talk of changing the Constitution, what will happen by changing the Constitution? Your rights will weaken, your strength will reduce."

"Because under the Constitution, every person in this country, be it a man or a woman, of any caste, of any religion, be it a farmer, or a Prime Minister, everyone gets equal rights. This would have happened for the first time in this country that 2 Chief Ministers have been arrested before the elections. The bank accounts of one of the largest parties of the country have been closed," she added. 

Amit Shah said, "When Sonia-Manmohan Singh's govt was in power, everyday Pakistan used to carry out attacks, due to votebank politics Congress did nothing."

"When BJP govt was formed and Pulwama and Uri attacks took place, within 10 days, PM Modi carried out surgical and air strikes and finished the terrorists. PM Modi eliminated naxalism from Maharashtra," he added. 

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said, "TMC is always standing with the illegal migrants and the infiltrators. That is why TMC has become a threat to the national security itself."

"Now BJP is coming very strongly and TMC's power is going to get over. After this election, all the common people who had voted for TMC will back out and TMC will collapse," he added. 

Mayawati said, "Like previous govts, under present govt of BJP also, poverty, unemployment and inflation are increasing. Corruption is also still not finished. Our borders are not fully secure, this is a matter of great concern."

"In the Lok Sabha elections, we need to make sure Congress, BJP and their ally parties don't come to power at the centre," she added. 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while addressing a rally in Jharkhand said, "The war between Russia and Ukraine has been going on for more than two years. Both of them were firing bombs and missiles towards each other. Thousands of Indian children were there when the war started. Their parents here in India were worried about them... They met PM Modi and asked him to get the children back to India in whichever way possible. How was that possible amid the bombing?... PM Modi picked up the phone and dialled Russian President Putin and Ukraine President Zelenskky and spoke to them. The war was paused for four and a half hours and 22,500 of our children returned back to India..."

Addressing a public rally in Chattisgarh, PM Narendra Modi says, "Congress considered itself greater than Lord Ram...Appeasement and vote bank politics are in the DNA of Congress..."

Priyanka Gandhi's visit to Karnataka, according to Karnataka State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra, won't affect the state.

He said that Congress would not benefit from her visit. 

"Priyanka's visit won't have any effect and Rahul Gandhi's visit will also have zero impact in Karnataka".

"People here are also looking forward to making Narendra Modi Prime Minister for the third time. I have full faith that the people will bless the BJP and JD-S alliance in Karnataka," he added.

Priyanka, on Tuesday, addressed massive public rallies in Chitradurga and Bengaluru South Lok Sabha constituencies.

Taking a dig at Congress manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that their manifesto is merely a declaration of the Wakf board.

He compared the declaration made by the Congress party to the ones that the Muslim League used to make before independence and told ANI at a poll rally in Jodhpur:"The Congress manifesto is nothing more than a declaration of the Wakf board."

"The declaration that the Congress party has issued is like the one the Muslim League used to make before independence."

The Enforcement Directorate has written to the Election Commission seeking action against a Karnataka Congress MLA for "mobilising" about Rs 42 crore ($5.40 million) funds for unlawful transactions, including alleged bribing of voters, during the 2023 assembly elections in the state.

The ED has reportedly also made a similar communication to the Karnataka Lokayukta establishment under section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. It has asked the latter to go through the evidence collected by it against Nara Bharath Reddy, the legislator from the Bellary City seat, and register a case.

A case has been registered against a CPI (M) leader P K Ajeesh for allegedly carrying out an objectionable campaign against Congress Lok Sabha candidate and MLA Shafi Parambil on cyber platforms.

The case was registered based on the complaint of a UDF worker, Perambra police said on Tuesday. It alleged that Ajeesh made objectionable remarks on social media against Parambil, who is contesting in Vadakara constituency, and against the Muslim community. The accused has been booked under significant sections of IPC.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Congress party and said that under their regime,  even listening to Hanuman Chalisa became a crime.

"Under the rule of Congress, even listening to Hanuman Chalisa becomes a crime. Rajasthan has been its sufferer. For the first time on Ram Navami this time, Shobha Yatra procession was taken out in Rajasthan," said PM Modi.

"In a state like Rajasthan where people chant Ram-Ram, Congress banned Ram Navami," the prime minister added.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a political rally in Tonk, Rajasthan, said that his remarks "Congress wants to snatch women's Mangalsutra (necklace worn by married women)" created panic in Congress. 

"The day before yesterday in Rajasthan I put forth some truth in front of the country and the entire Congress and INDI alliance went into a panic. I put forth the truth that Congress is plotting to snatch your property and distribute it to their special people...When I exposed their politics, they got so angry that they started abusing Modi...I want to know from Congress why are they so afraid of the truth? Why do they hide their policy so much, when you yourself made the policy then why are you afraid to accept it now...If you have the courage then accept it, we are ready to face you.," said PM Modi.

NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar on Monday took a jibe at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and stated that he is"a new Putin is in the making in India." 

Pawar said that PM Modi has been trying to instil fear among people and imitate Russian President Vladamir Putin.

"Instead of telling what the Central government did in the last ten years, he (Modi) keeps criticising others. We fear that a new Putin is in the making in India," Pawar said.

Addressing roadside meetings during her election campaign in Bhetua and Bhadar areas here, Irani said, "After the voting in Wayanad on April 26, Rahul Gandhi will come here to tell everyone that Amethi is his family and stoke the fire of casteism in the society here."

She added, "Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party rejected the invitation for the consecration ceremony of Lord Shri Ram in Ayodhya but he will be seen roaming around the temples in Amethi. So there is a need to be careful and alert."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday (Apr 22) clinched its first victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat. The state Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced that BJP’s candidate from Surat constituency won uncontested. It came as the nomination of the Congress candidate from the seat, the main opposition party, was rejected by the Election Commission. Others also withdrew their nominations from the constituency.

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Read the Bengaluru South chapter of Battle of the Bastions, a WION special series on political strongholds of India's most noted and voted politicians. 

Battle of the Bastions: 'People of Bengaluru South are nationalists. They will back Narendra Modi'