• Launching a withering broadside against the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 10 accused the Opposition party of hatching conspiracy to erase Hindu faith from the country. Addressing a campaign rally in the tribal-dominated Nandurbar Lok Sabha constituency, the Prime Minister lashed out at the Congress, dubbing it “anti-Hindu” while claiming the party was spreading lies against the ruling BJP by alleging that the saffron party would change the constitution and do away with reservation. He accused the Congress of attempting to divide India along religious lines while reiterating that it planned to snatch the reservation of the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the OBCs and give it to the Muslims. “I asked the Congress to give it in writing that they will not divide the reservation given to the SCs, STs and OBCs and give it to Muslims. But they are not answering. They are silent. It means they have a hidden agenda,” the PM said. 
  • A senior journalist and two former judges have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to participate in a public debate on the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Former Editor of The Hindu N. Ram, former Supreme Court judge Madan Lokur and former Delhi High Court Chief Justice A.P. Shah urged the two leaders to participate in a public debate on a non-commercial and non-partisan platform. “A public debate such as this would, therefore, set a great precedent, not just by educating the public, but also in projecting the true image of a healthy and vibrant democracy,” the letter said. The three urged Modi and Gandhi to nominate a representative for the debate if either of them is unavailable to participate.