In 1st Haryana rally, Rahul targets BJP over unemployment

Rahul Gandhi criticized Modi's government for job losses, harming small businesses, and failing farmers, asserting Congress will win Haryana's elections.

Congress

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, flanked by ex-CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Kumari Selja, during an election rally in the Assandh segment in Karnal on Thursday. (ANI)

Karnal/Rohtak Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government has “systematically” ended the employment systems of the country, and accused it of hurting small businesses with the “wrong” goods and services tax (GST) regime and destroying the farming sector by denying adequate minimum support prices (MSP) for crops.

Accusing the BJP government of destroying Haryana, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said he was confident the Congress would “sweep” the assembly elections on October 5.

“The Congress is going to sweep the Haryana elections. A storm is coming and we will form the government for all,” Gandhi said at a poll rally in Assandh, Karnal.

The Congress leader, who was flanked by party MP Kumari Selja and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, also raked up the issue of a caste census in the country. The rally marked the first time Selja and Hooda shared the stage ahead of next month’s polls amid reports of disagreements between the two over ticket distribution.

Attacking Modi, Gandhi said, “Modi ji and the Haryana government systematically ended the country’s employment system.”

The BJP government tried to snatch from farmers whatever they had with the “black” farm laws, he alleged, adding that the laws were introduced to help capitalists. He was referring to the three agricultural laws that were enacted by the Centre in September 2020 but withdrawn a year later amid massive protests.

“This government is working for capitalists...,” he said.

Gandhi told the rally that he has received complaints from J&K that the apple business in the region had been hit. “In Himachal, the apple business goes to Adani,” he alleged, while raising the issue of farmers not getting the right price for their crops.

Without naming anyone, the Congress leader accused the BJP of trying to protect former MP and former Wrestling India Foundation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing allegations of sexual harassment.

Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini hit back, saying, “His party candidates talk about corruption and giving jobs to their loved ones.”