'Congress leaders died for country': Kharge counters ‘batenge, katenge'

NT Correspondent

Nagpur/Bengaluru

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday asserted that several leaders from his party have laid down their lives to unite the country, countering Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath's 'batenge toh katenge' slogan. Those who want the country to remain united will never pass such divisive remarks, he said. Addressing a press conference in Nagpur city of Maharashtra, where assembly elections will be held on November 20, he asked the BJP to decide between Yogi's slogan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's unity message of “Ek hain, toh safe hain”. Kharge also hit back at the BJP for criticising Rahul Gandhi over a copy of the Constitution with a red cover. He showed a picture of PM Modi gifting a similar copy to former president Ramnath Kovind. The senior Congress leader accused the BJP and RSS of provoking people to gain votes. Citing an article, Kharge said he read that RSS favoured the slogan of ‘batenge toh katenge' (if divided, we perish) being raised by the UP CM.

“First, you decide between yourselves whose slogan is to be followed – Yogi ji's or Modi ji's,” he said, and added, “BJP leaders give inciting speeches and speak lies and divert people's attention from core issues." Addressing a rally on Friday, PM Modi had pitched for unity among SCs, STs and OBCs, saying, “Remember, ‘Ek hain, toh safe hain” (we are safe if we are united). Kharge stressed that many big Congress have laid down their lives to unite the country and attacked the BJP, saying, “You only divide but blame others. You say ‘batenge toh katenge'. Those who want the country to remain united will never pass such divisive slogans.” He said two big leaders from Vidarbha did not stop big-ticket projects from being shifted from the state to Gujarat because they were concerned about “saving their own posts".