RAIPUR: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday intensified his party’s election campaign in BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh where he assured loan waiver for farmers and a food processing plant in every district, if the opposition party wins the Assembly polls.
At the Kisan Hunker Rally in Raipur, Rahul cited the examples of Congress-ruled states of Punjab and Karnataka where loans of farmers were waived to reaffirmed his party's commitment in Chhattisgarh. "The loan waiver will just be a beginning. The Congress government will stand with the farmers to meet all their essential needs, be it related to agriculture, accessing the best of health treatment in government hospitals or the higher educational and professional courses in state-owned colleges and universities," he said.
"The Congress government will waive off all farm loan within 10 days of coming to power. No, this is not a gift or consolation to you, but actually your right. You are the power of the nation."
Polling in Chhattisgarh will be held in two phases on November 12 and 20.
Rahul slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remark that "India was a sleeping elephant and he woke it up", saying it was an insult to hardworking farmers, workers, youths, businessmen and others who contributed to nation's progress during last 70 years.
The Congress president promised that his government will have food processing plants where the farmers will not just get the right price of their produce, but also lakhs of local youths will find scope of employment.
"There has been immense corruption in Chhattisgarh during the 15 years. The land of tribals and farmers are being taken away without consultation. We brought the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Area Act, the Land Acquisition Act to safeguard the land rights of the farmers and tribals, but these laws are not being followed. The Congress will implement it again," he asserted.
Drawing the attention of the Congressmen, the Congress chief assured that only those candidates whom the party workers wants will be given the tickets to contest the polls. "There will be no parachute landing in the Chhattisgarh elections," he told the party cadres.
The BJP however dubbed Rahul's speech as 'political drama'. "When Congress was in power, why was Rahul not concerned about farmers, women and tribals?" asked BJP general secretary Saroj Pandey.