Rahul Gandhi to visit Bastar today, address tribals

The Congress vice-president will arrive at Jagdalpur from Delhi by a special aircraft and will address tribals in a rally.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi | PTI
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi | PTI

RAIPUR: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to visit Bastar in Chhattisgarh on Friday evening to protest against the privatisation of NMDC’s under-construction Nagarnar steel plant and raise the issues of tribals.

The Congress vice-president will arrive at Jagdalpur from Delhi by a special aircraft and will address tribals in a rally. On Saturday, he will interact with tribal students and party leaders.

Bastar, with a predominant tribal population and 12 seats, is often cited as key to power in Chhattisgarh with 90 Assembly seats. “The Congress vice-president will oppose the Centre’s attempt to privatise Nagarnar steel plant in Bastar. It's a part of our protest against privatisation of various government-owned enterprises by the Modi-led NDA government. The tribals, which happen to be our traditional vote bank, will equally remain in focus during Rahulji's trip”, the party’s chief spokesperson Ramesh Varlyani told The New Indian Express.

In the wake of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) giving a call to observe a Shaheed Saptah (Martyrs’ Week) across India from July 28 to August 3, the Bastar police have made elaborate security arrangements for Rahul’s two-day visit in areas affected by left-wing extremism. The AICC vice-president is visiting the BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh after two years.

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The New Indian Express
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