"If bringing justice to people is appeasement, so be it": P Chidambaram hits back at BJP

The senior Congress leader, while speaking to the reporters said that if bringing justice, which his party talks about in its manifesto, is considered appeasement, so be it.

Former Union Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday lashed out at the BJP over its allegation that the manifesto of the Congress smacks of appeasement and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to quote a single para in the poll document that reflects "appeasement." The senior Congress leader, while speaking to the reporters said that if bringing justice, which his party talks about in its manifesto, is considered appeasement, so be it.

"Ask him (the PM) to point out one paragraph in the manifesto which will lead to the conclusion that it will be appeasing any section. We recognize there is a social division in the country, there is social inequality in this country, and there is economic inequality in this country. Most affected people are scheduled caste, scheduled tribes, and poor irrespective of religion, poor Hindu, poor Muslim, poor Christian and poor Sikh. We are saying that we shall bring justice to every section of the people, and if bringing justice to the people is considered appeasement, so be it," Chidambaram said. He was reacting to the allegations by Modi and the BJP against the Congress that its manifesto smacks of appeasement and that if it came to power, it would redistribute people's wealth and also give reservations to Muslims from the quota for SC, ST, and OCB communities.

He further said that the Congress recognises that "there is social division and social and economic inequality in this country". "Ask the prime minister to point out one paragraph in the manifesto that leads to the conclusion that we are appeasing any section. We recognise that there is social division and social and economic inequality in this country," he said.

Asserting that the people have found the Congress manifesto appealing, the former union minister said that the poll document by his party has made the BJP jealous as there was "nothing" in the ruling party's manifest. "Problem with the BJP is that the Congress manifesto is becoming the talking point throughout the length and breadth of this country. The Congress manifesto is becoming a talking point even in remote villages of Tamil Nadu. The BJP's manifesto vanished within two hours. Nobody talks about the BJP's manifesto because there is nothing in the manifesto. The title page of the manifesto says Modi ji Guarantee and the Modi ki guarantee can't be a manifesto of a political party. Therefore, they are envious, jealous of the Congress manifesto. I would respectfully request the Indian Prime Minister to read our manifesto," he added.

Mocking the BJP's slogan "abki baar 400 paar", Chidambaram said that the target set by the ruling party will only be achieved if it is planning to contest from some other country. "BJP is claiming to win 400 seats in Lok Sabha elections in India. First, they should be asked how many total seats are the BJP contesting elections. They are contesting less than 400 seats and the first phase elections have indicated they are losing all seats in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. If they are claiming so they must be contesting elections in another country," he said.

Chidambaram also said that the scarcity would not affect the Congress poll campaign, and the people would take care of it. "It won't have any impact on the elections because the people will take care of the elections. We are handicapped; this is not a level playing field. Look at the hoardings, advertisement, television advertisements by the BJP no other party can match the BJP. BJP has collected 8500 crore rupees through the electoral bond," he added. (ANI)

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