Demolition of India's constitutional values; targeted against poor, minorities: Rahul on bulldozers

New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked the government over the use of bulldozers in violence-hit areas of Delhi and Madhya Pradesh and alleged that this is a demolition of India's constitutional values and targeted against the poor and minorities.

He also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to switch off "bulldozers of hate" and switch on power plants, while highlighting the shortage of coal in the country due to which power plants were being shut down.

"This is a demolition of India's constitutional values. This is state-sponsored targeting of poor and minorities. BJP must bulldoze the hatred in their hearts instead," Gandhi said on Twitter, while sharing a picture of a speeding bulldozer on one side and the Constitution on the other.

His attack came on a day bulldozers were used in Delhi to demolish structures in violence-hit areas of Jahangirpuri, a drive against encroachments which some allege is against those indulging in rioting in the area, that was later stopped with the intervention of the Supreme Court which is now hearing the case.

The Congress also said that "not only houses are being demolished by bulldozers, our Constitution is being demolished".

"Riding on the bulldozer of hate, the ruling BJP is totally disturbed. These people have fallen to this low level only to divert the attention of the people from the issues of inflation and unemployment. That is why it is necessary to raise voice against this hatred," the party said in a tweet.

Several Congress leaders have criticised the BJP government for misusing power against a certain section of people.

Gandhi also shared a news report that claims that India stares at outages as coal stocks at power plants hit a low.

"Eight years of big talk has resulted in India having only 8 days of coal stocks," he said on Twitter.

"Modi ji, stagflation is looming. Power cuts will crush small industries, leading to more job losses.

"Switch off the bulldozers of hate and switch on the power plants," the former Congress chief also said.

"India is left only with 8 days of coal stocks. The fire burning on the streets because of BJP's hateful politics will not light up homes," the Congress also said on its official Twitter handle.

Congress general secretary Tariq Anwar alleged that this communal discourse is a ploy to divert attention from the failures of the Narendra Modi government.

Anwar said that "the silence of the prime minister is dangerous. It means two things: one, the prime minister's blessings to the campaign of hatred; and secondly he is not concerned about what is happening in the country".