Vote for Congress candidates to save Constitution, reservation: Rahul Gandhi
Vote for Congress candidates to save Constitution, reservation: Rahul Gandhi
M.U.H
16/05/2024117
BHUBANESWAR/BALANGIR: Congress star campaigner Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday cautioned people of the state on BJP’s attempts to amend the Constitution of India and end reservation.
“BJP leaders are stating they will amend the Constitution. But I want to tell the BJP leaders that no force in the world can touch this book (Constitution). If you try to tear and throw away this book, watch what the people of the country and Congress party will do to you,” Rahul said addressing an election rally in Balangir while holding a copy of the Constitution.
This was Rahul’s second visit to Odisha to campaign for his party candidates. He had launched the party’s campaign at Salipur in Cuttack district on April 28, the birth centenary of Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das. Rahul’s target in the meeting was Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Centre and media. He did not utter a single word against BJD at Balangir.
Coming down heavily on BJP, he said the saffron party is working only for a select few while ignoring the rest. “The BJP waived off loans worth around Rs 16 lakh crore of 22 billionaires, which equals 24 years of MNREGA funds. The party has done nothing for 90 per cent of the country’s population. It has not waived off loans of farmers and students,” he claimed.
Rahul said during the 10 years of Narendra Modi government, only 22 persons have become ‘arabpatis’ (billionaires). But if Congress is voted to power, it will create crores of lakhpatis. A list of poor, dalits, tribals, farmers will be made and one woman from each household will be paid Rs 8,500 per month. Similarly, unemployed youths will also be paid Rs 8,500 per month for one year, he added.
Stating Congress will hike wages under MGNREG to Rs 400 from Rs 250 and double the remuneration of anganwadi and ASHA workers, he said loans of farmers will also be waived. The grand old party will provide legally guaranteed MSP for paddy, wheat and other agricultural produce, he promised.
The Gandhi scion urged the voters to cast their votes for Congress candidates to save the Constitution and continue reservation. He announced if an INDIA alliance government comes to power at the Centre on June 4, its first task will be to order a caste-based census.
Strength of different castes will be known, so that a government based on ‘Bhagidari’ starts functioning.
“Politics of common people will start, the government will be of common people (Janata Sarkar). This will end over-dependence on limited number of billionaires and officials as is going on during Modi sarkar,” he said.
Odia cinestar Manoj Mishra, Samarendra Mishra, the son of CLP leader Narasingha, Mishra and Santosh Singh Saluja are in the fray from Balangir Lok Sabha, Balangir Assembly and Kantabanji Assembly seats resepectively. Kantabanji has assumed significance after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik chose it as his second constituency in this election.
