Guwahati: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of misleading the country over the Women’s Reservation Bill, claiming it was used to divert attention from a broader plan to reshape the electoral boundaries through delimitation, similar to what he described as the “Assam and Jammu and Kashmir model.”
While beginning his campaign for the April 23 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Gandhi also criticised NDA ally All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
He alleged that AIADMK was effectively acting as a front for the BJP and claimed that the ruling party at the Centre aimed to install a chief minister in Tamil Nadu who would follow directions from Modi and Shah without resistance.
Gandhi further accused the opposition party in the state of being compromised due to corruption.
Speaking at a rally in Tiruchirappalli, his final public meeting of the day, he claimed the BJP was determined to remove DMK chief M. K. Stalin from office and replace him with someone who would act under its influence.
He said his bond with Tamil Nadu was based on respect and emotional connection rather than politics, adding that his family had long-standing ties with the state, referring to former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
Gandhi assured the public that he would stand up for the state’s interests at the national level, describing himself as their representative in Delhi and promising to take up their concerns whenever required.
He praised the people of Tamil Nadu for their contributions to the country and urged voters to prevent the BJP-RSS alliance from gaining influence in the state. Earlier in the day, he had addressed gatherings in Ranipet and Ponneri.
Referring again to the Women’s Reservation Bill, Gandhi alleged that it concealed a larger agenda aimed at altering the distribution of parliamentary seats, which he described as harmful to the federal structure of the country.
He claimed that similar changes had already been carried out in Assam and Jammu and Kashmir, and alleged that there were plans to extend such measures nationwide.
At Ranipet, Gandhi also spoke about a constitutional amendment proposal that failed to pass in the Lok Sabha, accusing the Centre of presenting it as a move to improve women’s representation while pursuing a different objective.
According to him, the proposed changes were intended to alter seat allocation among states, which he said would disadvantage southern, smaller, and northeastern regions, calling it a threat to the unity of the country.
He credited opposition parties for blocking what he described as the government’s attempt, and accused the BJP of using delimitation as a political strategy to weaken democratic institutions.
Gandhi further alleged that the ruling party’s broader agenda included undermining regional identities, particularly targeting Tamil Nadu’s language, culture, and traditions.
He said the Assembly election was crucial in preventing the BJP-RSS from gaining control in the state.
The Congress, which is part of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance, is contesting 28 seats in the election.
Continuing his criticism, Gandhi accused the BJP and RSS of trying to erode constitutional values and expand their influence in Tamil Nadu.
He argued that the BJP’s push for a “one nation, one people, one language” framework, along with delimitation, was aimed at reshaping the political balance and weakening the state’s distinct identity.
In a controversial remark, Gandhi alleged that Modi was under the influence of then US President Donald Trump and claimed that the Centre preferred AIADMK in power to exert control over the state leadership.
Responding to such claims, the Union government dismissed references linking Modi to the Jeffrey Epstein case, describing them as baseless and not worthy of consideration.
Gandhi also said that Modi was unable to exert pressure on Stalin due to his independent stance, and therefore sought a leadership change in Tamil Nadu that would be more compliant.
Without naming him directly, Gandhi indicated that the BJP was backing Edappadi K. Palaniswami as part of this strategy.