Begin typing your search above and press return to search.

Rahul promises spl status to NE States, new industrial policy

By Staff Correspondent

JORHAT, April 3 - Congress president Rahul Gandhi today took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for favouring unscrupulous businessmen and promised that if his party was voted to power the �chor� businessmen would be taken to task.

Addressing an election rally in Bokakhat subdivision of Golaghat district, Gandhi said the Congress, if voted to power, guarantees to deposit Rs 72,000 annually to poor Indian families under the NYAY (Nyuntam Aay Yojana) scheme.

The Bokakhat assembly seat is within the Kaliabor Lok Sabha constituency that has Gaurav Gogoi, son of former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, as the incumbent MP. Gaurav is again the Congress candidate for the Kaliabor parliamentary seat, while the BJP-AGP alliance has fielded Mani Madhab Mahanta from the AGP in the seat, believed to be a Congress citadel with Tarun Gogoi and his younger brother Dip Gogoi representing the constituency several times.

Mahanta, the brother of AGP executive president and a cabinet minister in the Sarbananda Sonowal-led government in the State, Kesav Mahanta, recently quit the AASU to contest the polls.

�The Prime Minister promised to deposit money in the accounts of people, but he has all along favoured the rich businessmen, most whom are chors (thieves)... The money (for NYAY scheme) will come from the pockets of �chor�, to whom �chowkidar� Narendra Modi has given money during the last almost five years now,� Gandhi said.

�Our government (if formed) will deposit it (the money) in the bank accounts of the poor, particularly women, irrespective of their caste, class or religion,� the Congress president said.

The party has promised to roll out the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) scheme, under which Rs 72,000 would be deposited in bank accounts of the women belonging to poor families, annually.

Gandhi stated that the wealthy people employ �chowkidars� (watchmen), which the Prime Minister himself has been doing for them (rich class).

Stating that the country was facing a severe unemployment crisis, the Congress president promised that his party, if voted to power, would ensure facilities for youths to start their own business.

Gandhi also said the Congress, if voted to power, would not allow the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 to be passed in Parliament. He added that the Congress will restore special status of northeastern states and introduce a new industrial policy to make the region a manufacturing hub.

Gandhi also said that the Congress party was committed to ensuring minimum wages for tea garden workers that the Narendra Modi-led government failed to fulfil.

North Lakhimpur Correspondent adds: Congress president Rahul Gandhi addressing a poll rally here reminded the voters about the false promise made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of crediting Rs 15 lakh to bank account of each citizen of the country.

Gandhi also lambasted Modi for facilitating big corporate houses and assured that the public money looted by businessmen like Anil Ambani would be recovered if the Congress is voted to power.

Earlier, the Congress president arrived at the venue of the poll rally in a helicopter after taking part in similar campaign rallies at Bokakhat and in Nagaland. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Ripun Bora, Lakhimpur district Congress president Dr Joy Prakash Das and party other leaders were present in the poll rally.

Next Story