Congress stands for freedom but BJP is anti-knowledge: Rahul Gandhi

In a blog post on social media networking site LinkedIn, Gandhi criticised demonetisation and the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax and said the Congress will aim to make a “fresh start”.

A day after releasing the Congress manifesto, party chief Rahul Gandhi made a distinction between his party’s ideology and that of his main adversary, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying the Lok Sabha elections was a choice between freedom and an ideology that is anti-knowledge.

In the blog post, Rahul Gandhi reiterated manifesto promises of an income guarantee scheme that gives ₹72,000 a year to the poorest families, reviewing redundant laws and scrap the colonial sedition law. (HT File Photo)

In a blog post on social media networking site LinkedIn, Gandhi criticised demonetisation and the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax and said the Congress will aim to make a “fresh start”.

“We promise to make India not just strong and united, but also just and equitable. We will implement a strong freedom agenda,” he wrote.

Gandhi reiterated manifesto promises of an income guarantee scheme that gives ₹72,000 a year to the poorest families, reviewing redundant laws and scrap the colonial sedition law. A number of BJP leaders, including finance minster Arun Jaitley and party chief Amit Shah, have attacked the Congress over this promise, saying the party was meddling with national security.

“We will amend the Aadhaar Act to limit the use of Aadhaar…Congress strongly stands for net neutrality and for open standards, and will ensure that citizens can access information and government services using free and open source software,” he added.

Gandhi promised legislation reserving 33% seats for women in Lok Sabha, state assemblies and central government jobs. “Congress promises. Congress delivers,” he said.