Maharashtra Assembly elections: Congress delivers on promises, BJP reigns through lies, says Priyanka Gandhi in Gadchiroli

AICC general secretary criticises BJP’s lack of action and addresses issues related to women, farmers, Adivasis, and others at her rally in Gadchiroli

“The Congress party delivers on its promises, unlike the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), which indulges in nothing more than sloganeering,” Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, general secretary, All India Congress Committee (AICC), said at a rally in Gadchiroli on Sunday (November 17, 2024).

“Whatever we utter are truths. Work starts immediately after we form the government. The BJP thinks sloganeering is enough and no work needs to be done,” Ms. Gandhi said.

She further said that the BJP was indulgent in divisive propaganda to distract people and advised spectators at the rally, mostly women, to look only at their welfare and nothing else when voting. Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark “ek hai to safe hai” (if we are together, we are safe), she said that the “safe” could mean “safety, or a cash locker”.

She further said that while Mr. Modi spoke about safety, women were not safe in Maharashtra. “In your government, there is only one man who is safe — Adani — and he maintains your safe (locker),” she said.

She said that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) had implemented a host of projects for Maharashtra, but now, many of the new projects were being taken to Gujarat, in reference to the Airbus project that was recently inaugurated by Mr. Modi at Vadodara. “Today, even in the poorest among the poor, they want their children to study; they take loans to educate them — but they don’t get a job; they become addicted to drugs,” Ms. Gandhi said.

“Ten lakh crore worth of investments, and in effect eight lakh jobs, have gone out of Maharashtra,” she alleged. “Further, 6,000 companies have left Maharashtra,” the Congress leader said, adding, “First ever justice should be to get jobs.”

She highlighted issues, including inflation and higher GST that was plaguing women and rural Maharashtra in general. “All of you women labour so hard on the field and [for the] family. Women work the most today. But look at the inflation. We can’t event celebrate a festival happily. There’s GST on everything,” Ms. Gandhi said.

Referring to Mr. Modi’s appeal to Adivasis, she said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government had stalled the land acquisition for the Tadona-Andhari coal mine project. “In 2020, the Modi government has started granting 41 coal blocks. MVA stopped this. Today, there is no stopping. Your lands are being taken away for these,” Ms. Gandhi said. “Adivasis were given rights to use water, land and forests. The whole world is looking up to you for how you protect your natural resources as part of your traditions. In Maharashtra, four lakh FRA (Forest Rights Act) claims were made and half of them have been rejected,” Ms. Gandhi said.

Addressing farmers’ grievances, she said that onion exports were banned, which had caused misery, and when the ban was lifted, export duties were imposed. Soyabean prices were much lower than the MSP (Minimum Support Price), she said.

She ended the rally by listing the MVA’s plans, including MSP for soyabean at ₹7,000 per quintal, a bonus to the farmers, ₹3,000 monthly cash benefit transfer to eligible women, and unemployment wages, among other promises in the manifesto.

Following the Gadchiroli rally, Ms. Gandhi led a road show at Nagpur.

Published - November 18, 2024 01:16 am IST