• Congress will defend Manipur's history, culture and language: Rahul Gandhi

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    Congress will defend Manipur's history, culture and language: Rahul Gandhi
    Digital Desk: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stated on Monday that the party will defend Manipur's history, culture, and language, which the "BJP and RSS have degraded."

    The Lok Sabha MP further vowed to offer women one-third reservation in Manipur, to revitalise the MSME sector, to make the state self-sufficient in rice production, to increase irrigation facilities, to develop food parks, and to build more women-controlled 'Ima markets.'

    In a speech to a public rally in Imphal, he remarked, "The BJP and RSS arrive in Manipur with a sense of superiority rather than respect. On the other side, I came humbled to learn from the many tribes, the hills and valleys, and how you respect your women."

    "I believe that every single state has equal right to have own languages, culture, history and a way of looking at themselves. On the other hand, BJP believes in one ideology, one language and one culture. India is facing a battle between these two ideologies," he said.

    He said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had called several state politicians to his home and demanded them to remove their shoes while he remained in his shoes.

    "A minister defended it saying it is his culture to take off shoes but it is not my culture to humiliate guests. They are assaulting our culture and traditions," he said.

    The Congress representative claimed that the BJP had also violated democratic norms by failing to organise ADC elections in the hills, despite claiming to have taken governance to people's doorsteps.

    "Plantations for palm oil are being planned to damage your future. These will only help a few large corporations "He stated.

    He further claimed that during the COVID-19 epidemic, thousands of people perished in Manipur owing to a shortage of oxygen and ventilators, and that the northeastern state was among the poorest performers in immunisation.

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    The Congress leader stated that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has harmed Manipur's small and medium-sized businesses.

    "We will guarantee MSP in horticulture. We want to make Manipur self-sufficient in rice production, and improve irrigational facilities. The Congress will revive the MSME sector, and support and protect smaller businesses, focus on food processing industries and establish food parks," he said.

    The MP stated that the Congress will develop additional 'Ima markets' run by women and provide one-third reservation to women in the state.

    "While Uttar Pradesh is larger than Manipur, both states are equally vital to us, and we will protect Manipur's history" he continued.