Will not let Assam be run from Nagpur, Delhi — Rahul Gandhi

Guwahati, April 1 (IANS): Keeping up his attack on the RSS and the BJP, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday reiterated that Assam would not be governed from Nagpur and Delhi as only Assam’s people are entitled to run the state.

Gandhi, in previous election rallies in Assam, had alleged that the “Nagpur Army” was controlling the nation, drawing criticism from several BJP leaders including Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

“The BJP-led Central government has already ruined the Indian economy and distressed the people across the country by introducing GST (Goods and Services Tax) and demonetisation, and now it is trying to further dent the rural economy by trying to introduce the three farm laws,” Gandhi said while addressing election rallies in Kamrup and Nalbari districts.

He claimed that there was maximum unemployment in Assam and the “Notebandi” (demonetisation) and the GST led to further deterioration in the scope for employment while the government is giving huge economic relief to the billionaires.

He alleged that the BJP government has been giving the country’s valuable assets like airports, tea gardens and the oil fields to their friends.

“In each state, the BJP ‘aag lagati hai’ (spreads hatred)…. Their only aim to take away your assets to give them to their own men,” he said, asserting that Assam’s resources and wealth must be utilised for the benefit of the Assamese.

For the Assam Assembly elections, the Congress, which was in power in the state for 15 years (2001-2016), has given “five guarantees” to be fulfilled if the party came to power.

These include five lakh government jobs to youths in five years, upto 200 units of free electricity per household, Rs 365 daily wage to tea garden workers and INR 2,000 per month to housewives besides a guarantee not to implement the CAA in the state.

Gandhi said that these guarantees were finalised after taking the opinions from various sections of people including tea garden workers, youths and women.

“I haven’t come here to lie or to give you the false promises. My name is not Narendra Modi. If you wish Modi’s lies about farmers, about unemployment or any other issue, watch the television. Modi lies for the Indians for 24 hours. If you want to listen to the truth, please hear me,” he claimed.

Saying that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act would not be implemented at any cost, the Congress leader said that when the youths in Assam protested against the act, police of the BJP government fired and killed them.

Gandhi was supposed to campaign in Assam on Tuesday but could not reach the state due to bad weather and instead released a video appealing the voters to exercise their franchise in favour of the 10-party ‘Mahajot’ (Grand Alliance), led by the Congress.