Batware ka saman' sold in Rahul Gandhi's Mohabbat ki Dukan: JP Nadda slams Congress over racist remark against HD Kumaraswamy

While addressing a public meeting in Mumbai, the BJP President emphasized the need to counter such "dividing" ideologies, stressing that the nation must be kept strong.

"Batware ka saman' is sold in Rahul Gandhi's 'Mohabbat ki Dukan'... Such people need to be answered... There are people with such ideologies but we have to keep the nation strong...And if you want to keep your nation strong, you have to see to it that these cells do not go beyond the limit. For a healthy nation, a healthy antibiotic is needed from time to time. And you have to give an antibiotic on November 20," Nadda said.

JD(S) on its social media handle X, shared a video where Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan in an election campaign in Channapatna by-polls purportedly makes disparaging remarks against the former chief minister terming him as "Kala Kumaraswamy."

The BJP President criticised Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for giving tickets to former JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar who allegedly raised slogans of "Afjal ham Sharminda hai Tere Katil Jinda Hai."

"Slogans were raised in JNU 'Afzal we are ashamed, your killers are alive' and 'India will be broken into pieces'... The next day Rahul Gandhi shakes hands with them and supports them, and you (Congress) give tickets to those who raise such slogans. You (Congress) people have joined hands with those who are weakening India," he said.

Lauding the Centre's decision to give the status of elite language to Marathi, Nadda said that this decision will have a far-reaching impact.

"Recently, the Union Cabinet under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi gave the status of elite language to Marathi. This is a decision that will have a very far-reaching impact. Many congratulations to all of you for this," he said.

"BJP has a special bond with Mumbai because when BJP was being founded, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji had said in Santanagar that on the western end of India, where the ocean adorns India, I dare say that the darkness will go away, the sun will rise and the lotus will bloom," Nadda added.

Highlighting the significant progress made in reducing poverty in India, particularly under the leadership of PM Modi, Nadda said, "Today, 25 crore people have risen above the poverty line. This happened because, under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, 80 crore people of the country are getting free ration every month. Now no one sleeps hungry. Similarly, under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, 55 crore poor people are being provided free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh annually."

"We worked on empowering the poor. We are often questioned about providing financial assistance, and we tell them that we never dole out, we always empower the poor... Our welfare schemes do not discriminate while providing benefits to the poor. The IMF now say that extreme poverty in India has reduced by less than 1%. Besides, 25 crore people have been elevated from the BPL," he added.

He noted that bank nationalization in 1971, initiated by former PM Indira Gandhi, aimed to benefit the poor and agrarian society, but only 3 crore people had bank accounts between 1971 and 2015. However, Modi's zero-balance account policy led to a remarkable increase of 53 crore bank accounts.

"In 1971, Mrs Gandhi nationalized banks, claiming that it was being done for the betterment of the poor and agrarian society. From 1971 to 2015, only 3 crore people had accounts in the bank. However, when Modi ji became PM he ensured that people could open accounts with zero balance, and it resulted in 53 crore bank accounts," he said.

Voting for the Maharashtra assembly election will take place on November 20. The result will be announced on November 23. (ANI)