What RSS-BJP ideology can do is what has happened in Manipur: Rahul warns Mizoram voters

In the lead-up to the November 7 Assembly elections, Rahul Gandhi relentlessly attacked the BJP-RSS in Mizoram while portraying the opposition Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) as “partners” of the saffron party.

The Congress politician said that the BJP and the RSS wanted their version of India, which included the nation "being ruled by one idea and one organization," to spread into Mizoram during an afternoon election rally in Lunglei on Tuesday.

They are aware that the Mizo people will instantly reject them if they approach them personally. Thus, in order to enter Mizoram, they require partners. And the MNF and ZPM are exactly this. They are collaborators who will enable the BJP to smuggle their concept into Mizoram. Their leaders have openly declared that they will collaborate with the BJP," Rahul remarked as he pushed the Congress's vision of an egalitarian, compassionate, and inclusive India.

Thus, bear in mind that when you cast your ballot, you are not endorsing people who wish to undermine your traditions, culture, or faith. The BJP-RSS wants a centralized government controlled entirely by Mr. Narendra Modi and the RSS, with all decisions made in Delhi. We desire an India governed by its own citizens. Thus, when choosing your next administration, please keep it in mind," Rahul said as he concluded his two-day tour of Mizoram.

In 2018, the Congress gained five seats. This time, it will face the MNF, ZPM, and in some areas, the BJP, which is attempting to increase its vote share from the one seat it captured the last time. Along with the Congress, the MNF and ZPM are running for all 40 seats. The MNF does not support the BJP in the state, despite being a member of the NDA and NEDA. In the state where Christians predominate, the BJP is a marginal player.

At a press conference earlier in the day in Aizawl, where he had led a padyatra on Monday and gone on a bike ride to meet former chief minister Lalthanhawla on Tuesday morning, Rahul was equally caustic in his criticism of the RSS-BJP, Modi, the MNF, and the ZPM.

Rahul stated: "The BJP and the RSS are attacking various Northeastern states." The idea of the RSS is attacking your languages and your religious base. According to the RSS, there should be only one organization and one ideology in charge of India. It is the enemy that we are up against. We want the people of Mizoram to make decisions that will affect their future, including how they will express their social and religious customs. We support giving the Mizoram people more authority.

It is evident from examining the two political parties, the MNF and the ZPM, that they serve as gateways for the BJP. It's obvious that the ZPM is not opposing the BJP because the MNF is fully aligned with them. Indeed, it serves as the entry point for the RSS into Mizoram.

Rahul made fun of Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam, stating, "I think that is what the chief minister of Assam is essentially doing for the BJP." He is taking action to assist them in combating the cultural destruction of the Northeast. We consider the Northeastern cultures, languages, and religions to be fundamental to the concept of India.

"Yesterday in my student interaction (in Aizawl), I had said that what has happened in Manipur is an attack on the idea of Manipur, but also a direct attack on the idea of India in Manipur," he continued, referring to the conflict in the region. The RSS model is the Manipur model.

Rahul criticized the Prime Minister for not going to Manipur during the media meeting, saying, "I still don't understand why the Prime Minister has not gone to Manipur till today." I'm at a loss for words. A state is on fire, the government has no control over it, and the prime minister doesn't believe it is his duty to visit the state and try to diffuse the situation. It strikes me as shocking.

He also mentioned the Manipur unrest in Lunglei, a sensitive topic in Mizoram as the majority of Mizo people are of the same ethnicity as the Manipur Kuki-Zo people who are impacted. The events in Manipur are an example of what the RSS-BJP ideology is capable of. Hundreds of people have perished, but the Indian prime minister has not gone to Manipur. The Prime Minister's lack of interest in visiting the state of Manipur nearly gives the impression that it does not exist in India.

The head of Congress also used the occasion to make clear the party's position on the current Israel-Hamas crisis. "We have a very, very clear resolution. Any form of violence is unacceptable to us. Any form of violence against defenseless civilians is not acceptable to us, regardless of the perpetrator or method. That is amply demonstrated in our resolution. Rahul declared, "Any killing of a civilian is a crime... anywhere."