Bhubaneswar: Senior Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi came down heavily on the opposition parties during his election campaign for the fourth and final phase of elections in Odisha.
Addressing a massive gathering at Simulia in Balasore district, Gandhi said, “The Agniveer Yojana has deeply hurt the sentiments of people by creating two kinds of martyrs in the nation. The INDIA bloc, if elected, will rip apart the Agniveer Yojana and dump it in the dustbin. Every soldier is entitled to receive a pension, get canteen facilities, get proper training,” the Wayanad MP said. He promised that soldier would get the dignity of saheed in case of their death in the line of duty.
“We will abolish the Agniveer scheme, and fill up vacancies for 30,00,000 government jobs. We will have legal provisions of giving MSP on food grains to farmers,” he added.
Canvassing for Congress candidates, the senior Congress leader reiterated his commitment to increase the wage of MGNREGA workers from Rs 250 to Rs 400 in Odisha. He said that his party, if voted to power, will double the income of ASHA and Anganwadi workers, ensure employment for youths under ‘Pehli Naukri Pakki Scheme’, and deposit Rs 8,500 in the bank account of every woman.
The top Congress leader alleged the BJD-BJP partnership in Odisha. “I fight against the BJP for which they slapped 24 cases including defamation and criminal cases against me. They took away my government residence and Lok Sabha membership and sentenced me to two years imprisonment. I was interrogated by the ED for 50 hours,” he said.
Gandhi alleged that the BJP and its allies are united to destroy democracy and the Constitution of the country.
“No force on the earth can destroy our Constitution. They cannot even touch the constitution by utilising all your forces,” he pointed out.
Referring to BJP’s Puri candidate Sambit Patra, Gandhi said that the saffron party has insulted every individual of Odisha as one of its leaders claimed that Lord Jagannath is a devotee of PM Modi.
