Bengaluru Opposition Meet: Intention not to gain power but to protect Constitution, democracy & secularism, says Kharge

Bengaluru Opposition Meet: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said that the intention of the opposition parties is not to gain power but to protect the Constitution, democracy, social justice & secularism. According to sources in the party, Kharge also alleged in the meeting that every institution is being turned into a weapon against the opposition and agencies like CBI, ED, and Income Tax are routinely being misused. “False criminal cases are being filed against our leaders. Constitutional authorities are used to suspend, blackmail or bribed our MPs and MLAs,” they said. Leaders of at least 26 Opposition parties discussed issues related to the 2024 general elections in Bengaluru as part of their efforts to form a united front against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the Centre. The Congress president on Monday hit out at Modi and BJP-led National Democratic Alliance’s scheduled meeting in Delhi on July 18, saying that the saffron party is “baffled” by what the opposition is doing and hence gathering “factions of parties. “If he (PM Modi) is stronger than the entire Opposition and he alone is enough for them, why is he calling together the 30 parties? Disclose the names of these parties. Are they even registered with the Election Commission? People with us have always been with us…They are baffled by what we are doing, so they are gathering factions of parties to show their strength,” Kharge said. Earlier today, taking a dig at the opposition meeting in Bengaluru, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that 26 parties have gathered together for the 2024 polls but their label and product are different. Virtually inaugurating the new integrated terminal building of the Veer Savarkar Airport, the Prime Minister launched a scathing attack on the opposition parties, saying that their mantra is “of, by and for the family”. PM Modi said “People are saying that this gathering is to promote corruption. The opposition parties have given a clean chit to the DMK despite corruption cases in Tamil Nadu. The Left and the Congress are also mum on panchayat poll violence in West Bengal despite attacks on their cadre.” The Opposition parties gathered for the 2nd of the joint meeting in Bengaluru while the NDA is holding a meeting of its allies later in the evening today. With inputs from agencies.