In a fiery address on the last day of campaigning for Jharkhand’s assembly elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Central government of neglecting the state and withholding a significant Rs 1.36 lakh crore in dues, which he claimed were owed to Jharkhand.
Gandhi’s remarks targeted the BJP-led government in New Delhi, alleging that it was working against the interests of the state.
Speaking to the media, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha reiterated the Congress party’s commitment to improving the welfare of Jharkhand’s marginalized communities, vowing to conduct a caste survey if elected.
Gandhi also promised to increase reservations for Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), and Other Backward Classes (OBC), and stated his party would push to lift the 50 percent reservation cap.
Rahul Gandhi stated, “This election is an election of ideologies. On one side is the INDIA alliance which is protecting the Constitution and wants to run a government of the poor and the tribals. On the other side are those forces which want to crush the Constitution. Senior leaders of the BJP and the RSS have said that they want to change the Constitution. We have said that we will conduct a caste census and remove the 50 percent reservation limit.”
“In Jharkhand, we will increase the ST reservation from 26 percent to 28 percent, SC reservation from 10 percent to 12 percent, and OBC reservation from 14 percent to 27 percent,” he added.
Rahul Gandhi Promises Higher MSP, Employment, & Rs 1.36 Lakh Crore
The Congress leader highlighted the Congress-led alliance’s commitment to significantly increasing the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy in the state.
“Today the MSP of paddy for farmers is Rs 2400 per quintal. In the coming time when our government will be formed, our government will give Rs 3200 per quintal to the farmers of Jharkhand for paddy….In the next 5 years, we will try to give employment to 10 lakh youth….Rs 1.36 lakh crore belongs to the Jharkhand government, the central government is not giving this money, this is land compensation money, coal royalty money and the BJP government is working against Jharkhand,” he further asserted.
Previously, Chief Minister Hemant Soren appealed to the Centre to settle the state’s Rs 1.36 lakh-crore ‘coal dues’ and had even sent a formal letter addressing the matter.
After his remarks in Jharkhand, Gandhi held a press conference in Mumbai, where he launched a fresh attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the influence of billionaires like Gautam Adani.
“The Maharashtra election is an election of ideologies and an election between 1-2 billionaires and the poor. The billionaires want the land of Mumbai to go into their hands. The estimate is that Rs 1 lakh crores will given to one billionaire. Our thinking is that Maharashtra, the farmers of Maharashtra, the poor, the unemployed, and the youth need help,” Gandhi stated.
Voters are casting their ballots in two phases for the Jharkhand Assembly elections, with the first phase on 13 November and the second on 20 November. The counting of votes will take place on 23 November.
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