BJP polarising with ‘batenge toh katenge’, ‘vote jihad’, ‘dharmyudh’ but people wise: Sachin Pilot

PTI, Nov 17, 2024, 5:28 PM IST

Sachin Pilot

Pune: Senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Sunday slammed the BJP for terms like ‘vote jihad’ and ‘dharmyudh’ as well as the ‘batenge toh katenge’ slogan but asserted people are wise and will not succumb to such attempts to polarise.

Addressing a press conference here, the former Rajasthan deputy chief minister also claimed the BJP had brought forward smaller parties to eat into Maha Vikas Aghadi votes but this plan would fail.

Asserting that a slogan like ‘batenge toh katenge’ should not be uttered by someone like Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is occupying a constitutional post, Pilot said one should instead use ‘padhoge toh badhoge’ (education will bring progress).

Speaking on ‘vote jihad’, he said, “The language used by Yogiji and Devendra Fadnavisji is unwarranted. To what extent would you do politics on the basis of religion? In Ayodhya, where Ram Temple was built, the BJP lost the Lok Sabha polls. Polarisation is happening but people are wise and understand.”

“The Election Commission should take cognisance of such remarks since votes are being sought by inciting sentiments of people. They (BJP) are using such terms like vote jihad and dharmyudh because they are scared and on the backfoot. They have failed to show their (governance) report card,” he added.

The ruling alliance has failed on all fronts, be it development works, investment and slogans are being used to divert attention of people from real issues, Pilot contended.

Mocking the BJP for accusing the Congress of indulging in appeasement politics, Pilot said it is the first time that the ruling party is making allegations against the opposition whereas in a democracy it is usually the other way round.

Queried about a purported video of Islamic scholar Sajjad Nomani asking community members to vote for MVA candidates, Pilot said his party had not asked any religious leader to offer such support.

“In the Constitution, everyone is equal. It is everyone’s right to vote as per their choice. The Congress has never done politics in the name of religion,” Pilot asserted.

He said BJP leaders have to keep clarifying about not changing the Constitution because “inside voices” from the party had made statements about making amendments if they won 400 Lok Sabha seats.

“It is because of the people of the country that their (BJP) motives were defeated in the Lok Sabha (in which the ruling party lost its majority and ended up with just 240 seats).

Manmohan Singh was prime minister for 10 years but he never had to give any such explanation about the Constitution, Pilot pointed out.

The former Rajasthan deputy CM also said ambulances and police vehicles must be checked during the code of conduct for the November 20 polls instead of just helicopters and bags of leaders.

“I have got the information that ambulance and police van can be misused,” he claimed.