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Congress will make all efforts to support farmers: Sachin Pilot
Congress president Rahul Gandhi will come to Rajasthan on January 9, the first time after the assembly elections to address the farmers’ rally in Jaipur.
The Congress government will make all efforts to support farmers and the January 9 rally, to be addressed by AICC president Rahul Gandhi, will send out a message about the party’s sincerity to address farm distress, state party chief Sachin Pilot said on Monday.
Gandhi will come to Rajasthan for the first time after the assembly elections to address the farmers’ rally in Jaipur. “There is a lot of enthusiasm among farmers and Congress workers over Gandhi’s visit, which is important in view of the Lok Sabha elections,” Pilot said.
“Farmers were in distress and lost hope, but our government took a bold step and waived off loans. A BJP government could not have done this. Former CM Vasundhara Raje took no steps in the last five years, except announcing loan waiver and free electricity when elections neared,” he told newspersons at the state party office.
“Preparations are almost complete for the kisan rally that will be big. People from across the state will participate in the rally. This will send a positive message. We will fulfil all the poll promises made,” Pilot said. “The rally is a programme of the party organisation and people from the government are also invited.”
He alleged that funds were misused for political benefits during the previous BJP government. “This will not be done by the Congress. We will not misuse people’s hard-earned money.”
He said the central government’s talks about farmers will be exposed. “Why can’t the Centre waive off farm loans across the country, when our governments in states have done it? Even the UPA government, headed by former PM Manmohan Singh, had done this.”
On the party’s preparations for the Lok Sabha elections, chief minister Ashok Gehlot said BJP has money power but lacks moral power. “There was misgovernance for five years in Rajasthan. None of the promises made by PM Narendra Modi, such as bringing back black money, two crore jobs annually, reducing inflation, and doubling farmers’ income, were fulfilled. They do not have achievements, so they attack Rahul Gandhi to divert attention,” Gehlot said. “It will not be a surprise if they lose the next elections and the UPA forms government.”
In the NDA government, only two people are ruling – Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, he said. “There is no BJP rule. The parties supporting NDA too will leave as they understood that only talks will not make a difference as nothing concrete has been done,” Gehlot said. “Today, the atmosphere is of hatred and insensitivity, which should not be there. The CBI, enforcement directorate and income tax department are being misused.”
