• Rahul makes election-bound Gujarat farmers loan waivers and free electricity promises

    Politics
    Rahul makes election-bound Gujarat farmers loan waivers and free electricity promises

    At a "Parivartan Sankalp Rally" in Ahmedabad, Gandhi spoke to the party's booth-level workers and attacked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party by quoting Sardar Vallabhai Patel, the nation's first home minister (BJP).

    Digital
    Desk:
    Rahul Gandhi, a senior leader in the
    Congress, announced a number of initiatives on Monday to launch the party's
    campaign for the Gujarat assembly elections that are scheduled for later this
    year, including a farm loan waiver of up to 3 lakh rupees, 500 rupee LPG
    cylinders, and free electricity for consumers and farmers (up to 300 units).



    color:#424242">At a "Parivartan Sankalp Rally" in Ahmedabad, Gandhi
    spoke to the party's booth-level workers and attacked the ruling Bharatiya
    Janata Party by quoting Sardar Vallabhai Patel, the nation's first home
    minister (BJP).



    color:#424242">Who was Sardar Patel and what causes did he defend? His
    sculptures were constructed by you (the BJP), but he was more than simply a
    person; he represented the interests of farmers in Gujarat and India. He has
    never spoken a word against farmers, according to his speeches and the history
    books. "The three agricultural laws, which were later revoked by the
    Centre, were intended to take away the rights of farmers," he said.
    "The BJP works against the people for whom Patel fought.



    Speaking
    at the Sabarmati riverfront, Gandhi announced the establishment of 3,000
    English-medium schools where girls' education will be free as well as a subsidy
    of 5 cents a litre for milk producers. He also promised the development of 1
    million new employment in the state. He also declared a compensation of Rs. 4
    lakh for the surviving family members of individuals who passed away from
    Covid-19 in Gujarat.



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    The largest statue in the world was
    erected as a memorial to Sardar Patel, but at the same time, people who Sardar
    Patel fought and gave his life for have been insulted. "What does the
    statue represent?" he asked.



     



    Farmers from all over the nation took
    to the streets to demonstrate against the three laws, and the BJP asserts that
    it defends the rights of farmers, he continued.



     



    In addition to announcing freebies
    and sops, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which intends to run for all 182 seats in
    Gujarat, has also mentioned a remission for farm loans and free power for up to
    300 units.



     



    Gandhi stated during his speech that
    citizens of the state needed permission to even stage protests. "You must
    obtain consent from the person you wish to protest against... Did Sardar Patel
    ask the British for permission to rebel? Gandhi remarked that if you could ask
    Sardar Patel today what should be done in this circumstance, he would advise
    you to overthrow the current administration.



     



    He also criticized the state's
    current BJP administration for seizing a significant amount of drugs recently,
    particularly at the Mundra port.



    Only a small number of industrialists
    benefited from the "Gujarat model," he claimed.



     



    "The government will give these
    businessmen all the land they desire right away. The impoverished and tribal
    people, however, seldom succeed in obtaining even a modest parcel of land, he
    claimed.



     



    Gandhi declared, "If you fight
    the manner we did in 2017, I tell you that the Congress is going to establish
    the government here," expressing his certainty of success in the state
    this time.



     



    Top members of the Congress,
    including Ashok Gehlot, the chief minister of Rajasthan, K. C. Venugopal, the
    party's general secretary, and several other senior members of the state unit,
    attended the event.



     



    Gandhi's comments were responded to
    by Gujarat BJP spokesperson Yamal Vyas, who claimed that in the previous 75
    years, the Congress had forgotten about Sardar Patel, a member of their own
    party.



     



    "Sardar Patel was not awarded
    the Bharat Ratna while the Congress was in power (at the Centre). Now it's
    nothing less than a comedy that Rahul Gandhi is attempting to win over votes by
    mentioning Sardar Patel. The Gandhi family has repeatedly made an effort to
    make sure Sardar is forgotten. The party is making lofty but empty promises
    since it is aware that the BJP will win again. In the states where they are in
    power, how many of their election promises have been kept? I want to ask
    Rahulji," Vyas added.



     



    In 2017, Congress won 77 of the total
    182 seats in the Gujarat assembly, coming second to the BJP which won 99 seats. The
    minimum number of seats required by a single party to form the government is
    92.