Shillong, Mar 26: Congress candidate for Shillong Vincent Pala on Tuesday warned that once the BJP gets more than 370 seats, the party will change the secular Constitution.
“If the BJP gets 370 seats, they will change the Indian Constitution by removing the word ‘secularism’ to make its dream of a Hindu state come true”, Pala told journalists after filing nominations.
BJP’s projection of 400 seats is a slogan to signal the people of India, he said.
Pala said, “We have 540 MPs. To change the Constitution of India, the BJP needs 362 so at the most 370, that’s why they announce 370. What do you mean by 370, 370 they signal they warn the people of India if we get 370, they will change the Constitution? The word secularism from the Constitution will be removed.
“If the word ‘secularism’ from the Constitution is removed then it will be like Pakistan. Pakistan is an Islamic state, Bangladesh is Islamic state, Iran is Islamic state, so we will be like Pakistan, anybody who worships other religions will become illegal. That is the intention and slogan of 370-400. It is not what they will get. They know that they are not going to get but they just want to polarise things, they are going to do this, they are going to make India as a Hindu state, that is the dream of the BJP”, he said.
Pala said, “As on today, the BJP has not declared the fourth list. Why? Because of lots of infightings. So the question of winning more than 200 seats is a big question for them as they don’t even have candidates in states like Meghalaya and NE. How can you expect them to win? It is only propaganda to fool the people.”
He said the BJP got 303 MPs last time and this time BJP will be down in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi, Bihar, Punjab, UP, Himachal Pradesh and in many other states.
“In the South, there are more than 130 MPs and this time, the Congress will get maximum seats from”, he said,
“I am sure many of you are Hindus, many of our friends are Hindus but we want a peaceful country, we want a country free from all suppression, we want a country free from all the problems faced like in Pakistan, Bangladesh and others,” he said.
He alleged that the infighting in the BJP will be very high this time.
Pala said, “They are desperate this time. You see most of the senior MPs, they cut their tickets and most MLAs also they didn’t give them the chance. If you see in Maharashtra, if you see in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, you see the senior leaders wer77e thrown out, they put up new leaders.”
Criticising PM Narendra Modi, Pala said,, “Another very important thing which is very silent, you know if we build a church, a father or any priest will sanctify it but now PM of India just to polarise Ram Mandir instead of other sadhus, instead of them doing their job so the politicians have to do their job. So the gap between the Hindus, the gap between the BJP and those people…and all who have to do the job becomes wider. The BJP from a religious point of view, they have made a mistake, from a political point of view they have made a mistake – so no way that they will even get 200 seats.”
Pala expressed confidence to retain the Shillong seat as he highlighted various achievements of the Congress during the past 15 years. He added that a lot more needs to be done especially Meghalaya needs a new airport.
Congress has done well in terms of education, in terms of connectivity, in terms of trade and business and in terms of equitable distribution of wealth. So the policy which the Congress has taken before and the policy which the present government has taken is totally different, Pala said.
“If the policy taken by the present government for those who are rich, they will become richer and poor will become poorer but Congress will try to see the gap between the rich and the poor will be minimised and also the freedom of speech, religion”, he said.
He also admitted that the anti-incumbency against him is high after winning 3 times and said, “but people will compare what other MPs used to do and what I have done.”
“I am the only MP, who has not been shaken by the BJP and other MPs be it in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, many have gone why because they have been lured or threatened, they have put ED after me, IT after me but I trust and love the people of Meghalaya, I know I am here because of the people with that in mind, the people will trust and vote for me,” he said
