Prime Minister Narendra Modi gives hate speeches to polarise the society and does the politics of hate, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said in an interview.
Speaking in an exclusive interview to news agency PTI on Tuesday, the Congress president said, "He (Modi) gives hate speeches, because he want to polarise with his hate speeches. And we talk about taking everyone together. But, they (BJP) in order to divide the votes, give hate speeches."
Kharge also questioned if the prime minister has condemned the BJP leaders who speak against the constitution or against Muslims.
"Thousands of homes were destroyed in Manipur, the situation in Manipur has been bad for a year, did Modiji go there? Did he talk to the victims?" Kharge asked.
Speaking on the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Kharge said that the Congress has consciously contested on a lesser number of seats in the polls as part of a strategy to keep the INDIA bloc together and defeat the BJP.
He, however, added that this does not exhibit under-confidence on the part of the party as the compromise was struck to ensure victory of the united opposition while giving space to other parties which have strengths in different parts of the country.
The Congress is contesting 328 seats, its lowest-ever, leaving more than 200 seats for the other opposition parties in the INDIA bloc.
On many alliance partners fighting against each other in states like Kerala, Bengal, and Punjab, he said, "There is no disunity in fighting against the central government. In states, we are fighting as both INDIA parties are key in some states, otherwise it will benefit the BJP."
Kharge alleged that the "400+ seats" call by the BJP is to change the constitution as the government is not implementing the Constitutional provision.
"You give me more than 400 seats. We want two-thirds majority to change the Constitution. Who started this? It was their people. (Mohan) Bhagwat himself said this and others from UP also said. They said that they will change Constitution if they get more than 400 seats or two-thirds majority," he said.
On the question that opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and Arvind Kejriwal are not even united in predicting the NDA numbers, the Congress chief said, every leader has a different assessment.
"I can do proper assessment in Karnataka as I know the state well and know everything. Different feedback comes from different states. But, as I have said, the numbers required for stopping the BJP from coming to power, we in the INDIA alliance have those numbers and we will stop the BJP from assuming power," he said.
He also questioned why the opposition leaders were being put behind bars ahead of the elections. "Why did they not arrest them earlier when they were in power for the last 10 years? Elections are going on and here leaders are being threatened and harassed and put behind bars, not leaving them even to campaign. There is no level playing field being maintained by the BJP, as opposition leaders are being threatened," he added.