Gadchiroli-Nagpur: AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi alleged that under the Bharatiya Janata Party rule, “no women, farmers, youth or workers are feeling safe” and it’s only the businessman friends of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who are secure.
Addressing a massive rally in the Maoist-affected Gadchiroli district and later holding a huge road show in Nagpur, she targeted the BJP regime for indulging in ‘politics of discrimination’ on the question of developmental works in the country.
“India’s first PM Jawaharlal Nehru set up many big educational institutions, factories, ports, dams, and hospitals across all states considering the overall interests of the country. The Congress governments in the past never practised favouritism in progress and development, like the BJP government’s policies of discrimination in the past 10 years,” said Priyanka Gandhi.
She cited how the BJP has always been unfair against Maharashtra by diverting several mega-projects to Gujarat or other states.
As a result, unemployment has shot up hugely, 2.50 lakh government posts remain vacant with no recruitments, jobs are being filled on a contract basis leading to frustration among the youngsters, and maximum suicides among youth are happening in Maharashtra, said Priyanka Gandhi.
She reiterated how the agriculturists are in deep distress without proper remuneration prices for their produce, which is driving many farmers to end their lives in despair, particularly in the Vidarbha region.
Besides, she referred to the growing costs of cultivation with the imposition of GST on agricultural inputs that has further added to the woes of the tillers in the country.
“The Congress had enacted the PESA Act to safeguard the rights of Adivasis, but today they are at the receiving end under the BJP… Some 400,000 tribals had applied for plots of land of which half were rejected… All over India, the applications of 22 lakh tribals were denied,” said Priyanka Gandhi.
Referring to the manner in which the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra was ‘stolen’ (in June 2022), she called upon the electorate to exercise their votes very carefully for a government that works for the people and not some industrialists.
State Congress President Nana F. Patole that the resources-rich Gadchiroli district is being ‘looted’ of its natural wealth and that must be stopped, along with the duping of tribals, farmers, women, youth and workers under the BJP regime.
“After the MVA government comes to power, we shall set up industries in Gadchiroli to create jobs for the youth. There is huge anger among the masses, the younger generation is being ruined by the menace of narcotic drugs brought here from Gujarat. The MahaYuti has mortgaged the state to Gujarat. Now the people must bring back the MVA which will protect your interests,” appealed Patole.
Others who spoke or attended the rally included AICC General Secretary Ramesh Chennithala, state Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar, former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel, RPI leader Rajendra Gavai, leaders of MVA allies like Nationalist Congress Party (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), for MVA candidates, ahead of the November 20 Assembly elections.
Later, Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra and other leaders took part in a colourful road show in Nagpur with thousands trooping on the streets, even as a minor scuffle erupted among the Congress-BJP workers which the police managed to rein in.
(IANS)
