When in power, Cong changed Constitution 80 times: Gadkari

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar/ Kolhapur: Union minister for road transport Nitin Gadkari said on Friday that the Congress has been misleading voters by stating that the BJP will change the Constitution when in fact it is the Congress which has amended the Constitution 80 times while in power at the Centre.

Campaigning for party candidate Sudhakar Shrangare at Latur’s Nilanga, Gadkari credited prime minister Narendra Modi with introducing changes in policies and making them pro-people.

“The BJP has been working to promote development, but the opposition has been spreading rumours that if the BJP gets a majority, the Constitution will be changed. But the basic principles of the Constitution cannot be changed. The Supreme Court, too, has ruled the same,” he said, adding that the Congress had amended the Constitution 80 times while in power at the Centre.

He said that caste-based politics does not benefit people. “Poverty has no caste. The BJP government is working tirelessly to reduce inflation, poverty, and unemployment. Development is taking place and credit for the same goes to the people who elected us. Development would not have been possible if people had not elected us.”

Later, campaigning for Mahayuti candidate Ranjeetsingh Naik-Nimbalkar from Madha Lok Sabha constituency in Man tehsil of Satara district, Gadkari asserted that the Lok Sabha election was not about Nimbalkar (Mahayuti) or Mohite (MVA), but it is important for voters to decide their future.

Addressing the rally, the minister said, “The Congress party had ruled the country for nearly 60 years since 1947, but because of the wrong policies adopted by them, there is still poverty, starvation and unemployment in the country. As soon as election arrives, Congress remembers Shahu-Phule-Ambedkar to seek votes. Congress is misleading voters that BJP will change the Constitution.”

“In fact, the Congress has broken the Constitution 80 times till now. Wrong economic policies, bad and corrupt governance and visionless leadership was our issue. The development which had taken place under the BJP in the last 10 years had not happened under the Congress rule in 60 years,” he added.

“The main issue in this region is water. Every year, nearly 15,000 shepherds from Buldhana to Ajanta region used to migrate due to water scarcity. I increased the depth and width of the nullahs and rivers, carried out desilting due to which there is water in abundance and now these shepherds don’t migrate anywhere. I constructed 1000 Amrut Sarovar,” Gadkari said.

“Collection and storage of water is a must. The way we deposit money into banks, the same way people should learn to deposit water into the ground,” he said.

“There is no scarcity of funds now. I have completed projects worth Rs 20,000 crore in the region, he said. Rivers, nullahs and lakes between Dharmapuri- Lonand Palkhi route and Solapur- Mangalwedha route have been tapped to complete the irrigation works and conserve water, Gadkari said. The work will commence after the election. Once the water arrives, then there won’t be any problem in the development of this region, he said.