Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched his campaign for the Maharashtra assembly elections on Friday, asserting that the Congress is attempting to divide castes and tribes, and encouraged unity among people, saying, “Ek hain toh safe hain” (We’re safe if we’re united).
Addressing a rally in Dhule, north Maharashtra, Modi alleged that the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance plans to eliminate the state’s Ladki Bahin scheme, which provides ₹1,500 monthly support to underprivileged women, if it comes to power. Modi criticized Congress for focusing on caste divisions, asserting that the party can’t accept the progress made by scheduled castes, tribes, and other backward classes.
Modi also accused previous Congress-led governments of opposing reservation policies, stating that Congress leaders, including Rajiv Gandhi, resisted OBC reservations and sought to create rifts among OBC subgroups. He praised Maharashtra’s Mahayuti government, led by Eknath Shinde, for its initiatives supporting women, such as the Ladki Bahin Yojana, and announced plans to recruit 25,000 women into the police force for enhanced safety.
The prime minister further attacked the MVA for allegedly being anti-development, accusing it of blocking infrastructure projects like the metro, Vadhavan port, Atal Setu, and Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway. Modi described the MVA coalition of Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction), and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) as directionless, with leaders vying for the chief minister position.
Turning to nationalism, Modi accused Congress of promoting divisive agendas in Kashmir by advocating for the reinstatement of Article 370, which was abrogated under his government. He called this move his “biggest tribute to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar” by integrating Kashmir fully under the Indian constitution.
Modi also challenged Congress’s Maharashtra allies to have Rahul Gandhi praise Hindutva figure Veer Savarkar and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, pointing out that Congress relies on allies for survival. In response, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole criticized Modi’s statements, describing them as misleading and divisive, and accused the BJP of causing societal rifts over caste and reservation issues in Maharashtra.