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Rahul Gandhi promises ₹1 lakh annually to poor women, farm loan waiver, caste census
The Member of Parliament said that whatever benefits PM Modi had given to selected 22 industry people, Congress will divert all the money to poor people
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday announced that his party will make changes in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) structure, deposit ₹1 lakh annually into the bank account of a woman beneficiary in every poor family account till the time that the family gets over the poverty line, scrap the Agniveer scheme, farm loan waiver and hold regular caste census.
Addressing a rally for Congress’ Pune Lok Sabha seat candidate Ravindra Dhangekar in the city on Friday, Gandhi criticised the media for not raising citizen issues and highlighting the agenda set by few people.
He said, “Earlier, the prime minister used to claim that he was OBC (Other Backward Class) but since the Congress announced to do caste census, he stopped talking about OBC. Now, Modi is saying that only two classes, rich and poor, exist in India. Only a caste census will reveal the exact number of people from backward class in media, corporate world and judiciary. We will also increase reservation to include Maratha and Dhangar castes.”
The Member of Parliament said that whatever benefits PM Modi had given to selected 22 industry people, Congress will divert all the money to poor people.
“We would give ₹8,500 per month to women from poor families which will add to ₹1 lakh per annum,” he said, adding that as higher tax rate is affecting small traders, changes will be made in GST and farmers will not come under this tax regime.
Gandhi said, “Farmers have two demands. One is loan waiver and competitive price for their produce, and the INDIA bloc will accept it.”
He said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is running the government for selected five per cent people. But we would run the government for 90 per cent people. PM is asking to act against corruption, but the BJP had made “bribes” legal via electoral bonds. Our alliance is raising the voice to save the Constitution of India and democracy that the BJP wants to change.”
If the Constitution is changed, India will be unrecognisable, the former Congress president said.
“Earlier the media was discussing whether I would be contest from Ameti or Rae Bareli. But I filed the nomination from Rae Bareli and the media kept mum,” he said.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi should speak about country, development and farmers. But he is criticising a senior leader like Sharad Pawar in his speeches. Modi should respect the status of the prime minister’s post. Maharashtra is a “Congress state” in terms of ideology,” he said.
Gandhi asked the prime minister whether he would scrap the 50 per cent limit on reservations in the country, and asserted that his party’s Nyay guarantees will revolutionise the future course of politics.
With agency inputs
