BHUBANESWAR: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on July 11, launched a sharp attack on the BJP and the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing them of hatching a 'conspiracy' to manipulate and steal the Bihar elections due later this year.
The senior Congress leader also criticised the BJP government in Odisha, accusing it of looting the wealth of the poor and supporting big corporates in the State.
Addressing the SContinuing his attack on the BJP and Election Commission of India (ECI), senior Congress leader and leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused both of hatching a conspiracy to manipulate and steal the Bihar elections due later this year.
He also alleged that the centre and Odisha governments have completely surrendered to the corporates so much so that the Rath Yatra was halted this year for Gautam Adani and his family’s visit to Puri.
Addressing the Samvidhan Banchao Samabesh (Save Constitution rally) at Baramunda ground, Rahul said, “The BJP is using the Election Commission for Chunav Chori (election theft) in Bihar. I was in Bihar yesterday. Just like the election was stolen in Maharashtra, a similar attempt is being made there.”
He said, the Election Commission is working like a BJP agent. “However, I, along with other INDIA bloc leaders, have made it clear that we will not allow the ECI to do ‘Chunav Chori’ in Bihar,” he said.
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP government in Odisha, Rahul said the state is being run by five to six big industrialists. “During the Rath Yatra where lakhs of devotees gather, chariots were stopped for Adani and his family members. From this single incident, one can know everything about the Odisha government. This is not a government of the people. It’s a government for 5-6 billionaires like Adani. They are looting your land, forests and future,” he said.
He said the earlier BJD government was also doing the same thing, stealing from the poor and helping the big companies. “On one side, there are poor people including dalits, adivasis, backward classes, farmers and labourers, and on the other, there are five to six big companies and the BJP government,” he said asserting, only the Congress workers in alliance with the people of Odisha can win this fight and ensure justice and equality. Stating that Jal, Jungle and Jameen (water, forest and land) belong to the tribals, Rahul alleged that land is being taken away from them without consent. He announced that if the Congress came to power in the state, it will implement the PESA for the benefit of the tribals.
“We will return the land taken from the tribals by bringing a separate law,” he added.
The Congress leader also expressed concern over the rising unemployment and growing crime against women in Odisha.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the BJP is running an agenda to destroy the Indian Constitution. He also took a potshot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he is more interested in getting honours from various nations than reaching out to Manipur. “This is the reason he visited so many countries but did not visit Manipur,” the Congress President said.
After the rally, Rahul met the members of the Political Affairs Committee of the party, MLAs, former MLAs and senior leaders at the Congress Bhavan here. He asked them to remain united to fight against both the BJP and BJD. He also met delegations of farmers and project-displaced people from different parts of the state and listened to their grievances.