‘Congress govt will listen to your mann ki baat, do justice’, Rahul Gandhi promises in Rajasthan’s Jalore

Congress president Rahul Gandhi said if his party is voted to power, GST will be simplified, 22 lakh government jobs will be given in one year and no permission will be required for three years for start-ups.

If Congress is voted to power it will listen to what people have to say rather than putting its point across, the party’s president Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday as he promised to create one “Hindustan” where justice will be done.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of doing “injustice” to the people of the country in the last five years (Satish Bate/HT File Photo)

Rahul Gandhi was addressing a public meeting in Rajasthan Jalore, his second visit to the desert state where phase-I polling will be held on April 29, after Baneshwar Dham in Banswara district on Tuesday.

“2019 mein Congress apni sarkar banayegi aur woh aapne mann ki baat nahi sunayegi har 10-15 deeno mein par aapke mann ki sunegi aur nyay hoga (In 2019, the Congress will form the government and it will not talk about what it thinks but will listen to what you have to say and justice will be done,” the 48-year-old leader said.

Rahul Gandhi was referring to the weekly radio programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Mann Ki Baat, which were broadcast at least every month on Sunday mornings for getting his message across to those who listen regularly to the radio.

“And if they are given lakhs and crores then farmers, traders, Dalits and tribals will also be given lakhs and crores. There will be no injustice. There won’t be two Hindustans and only one and where there will be justice,” he said.

The Congress president promised to provide 33% reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies and government jobs. He also said that the Goods and Service Tax (GST) will be simplified.

People will have more jobs as the 22 lakh government posts lying vacant will be filled in one year and 10 lakh youth will be given employment at the panchayat level. He assured that young entrepreneurs won’t need any permission to run a business for three years and a separate budget for farmers.

“During the five years of Modi’s government, big promises were made. Everyone was told that Rs 15 lakh will be deposited in their accounts. Did anyone receive the money? They are saying that accounts have been opened and now it will come… This is what they have been saying for the last five years,” he said as he hit out at Prime Minister Modi on what he said were unfulfilled promises.

Speaking on the Congress’ minimum income scheme NYAY, he said Rs 72,000 will be given to 25 crore people annually. Modi he said gave two shocks - demonetisation and GST- and snatched away money from the poor and affected the market. “Under NYAY money will be sent directly to accounts, which will increase purchasing power, demand, create jobs,” he said.

“The scheme was coined Nunyatam Aay Yojna or ‘NYAY’ (justice) because in the last five years, Modi did injustice with everyone and now in the next five years we have to show that we will change this,” he said.

Gandhi said the Congress government got sanctioned Rs 1,500 crore for the Narmada water project but accused the ruling party at the Centre of not releasing the money.

“The farmer and unemployed were not helped but the 15 industrialists were – this is not what we want? The promises made were unfilled be it related to employment, MSP, doubling farmers income or Rs 15 lakh in the account,” he said.

Chief minister Ashok Gehlot, who was present on the dais along with Congress’ state unit president Sachin Pilot and party’s candidate for Jalore Ratan Devasi, said Modi imposes his “mann ki baat” but Rahul Gandhi says listen to what people have to say and fulfil the promises made.

“Modi ji jayenge, aache din aayenge (Good days will come, once Modi leaves),” Gehlot said.

Gehlot said this election is to protect the constitution and democracy.

Sachin Pilot said this election is for the future and to protect constitutional institutions.

“In the last five years, the Modi government gave just catchphrases. It failed to address employment issues and double farmers’ income. The atmosphere across the country is tense and that of hatred. They wish to take votes in name of caste and religion,” he said.

Congress’ Ratan Devasi is pitted against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Deviji Patel, who represents Jalore in the Lok Sabha at present.

Jalore will vote on April 29 in the fourth round of the seven-phased Lok Sabha election along with the other 24 parliamentary constituencies of the state. The votes will be counted on May 23.