Holding a copy of the Constitution, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stated on Tuesday that the benefits received by the country’s poor and marginalized since independence are due to this document. He alleged that the BJP plans to dismantle the Constitution if Narendra Modi is re-elected as Prime Minister.
At a large election rally in Bhind, Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi promised that if the Congress and INDI Alliance form the government in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, they would ensure that one woman from each impoverished family becomes a ‘lakhpati’. They would provide Minimum Support Price (MSP) to farmers, offer apprenticeships to youth, secure permanent jobs and pensions even in the private sector, and fill up 30 lakh vacant government posts.
Gandhi announced the launch of the ‘Mahalaxmi Yojana’, through which women would receive Rs 8,500 per month. He claimed that the Congress government would be the first worldwide to guarantee a year’s employment to each graduate through its paid apprenticeship scheme.
Gandhi criticized PM Modi for flawed decisions like GST, demonetization, and the Agniveer scheme. He argued that the Agniveer scheme demeans those who join the armed forces as the government does not recognize them as martyrs and does not provide pension or other facilities.
Gandhi accused the PM of working solely to benefit a handful of billionaires, with 90% of the country’s wealth currently in the hands of such individuals. He charged that Modi waived off loans worth Rs 16 lakh crore for these wealthy individuals but did not waive off a single penny from farmers’ loans.
Gandhi alleged that the BJP is completely against reservation, as evidenced by all its schemes and actions. He noted that at the Ram Temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, there were actors, players, wealthy individuals, and politicians present, but no farmers or tribal people. Even the tribal President of the country was not invited to the event or to the inauguration of the new Parliament building.
Gandhi asserted that these Lok Sabha elections are a contest between two ideologies. He said the Congress and INDI alliance aim to protect the country’s Constitution, while PM Modi and the BJP seek to dismantle it.
The Congress candidate from Bhind is Phool Singh Baraiya, the incumbent MLA from the assembly seat. He is competing against BJP’s Sandhya Rai. Bhind, a constituency reserved for the Scheduled Caste, will go to polls in the third phase on May 7.
