Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday asserted in three consecutive rallies in the poll-bound state of Rajasthan that if the Bharatiya Janata Party assumes power, it will discontinue the welfare schemes initiated by the incumbent Congress government and instead extend support to billionaires.
He spoke at a rally in Taranagar of Churu district, Nohar of Hanumangarh district, and Sadulshahar in Sri Ganganagar district.
"If a BJP government is formed, it will stop schemes being run by the Congress be it the (old) pension scheme, health (insurance scheme), subsidised cylinders or Rs 10,000 annual assistance for women and it will again help billionaires," Gandhi told his first public meeting of the day in Taranagar in support of party candidate Narendra Budhania.
But if the Congress is voted back to power in the state, the poor, farmers and small traders will benefit, he said. "Farmers' loans will be waived off. They will be helped, small traders will benefit. This is for you to decide. Do you want Adani's government or do you want the government of farmers, labourers, youth?" Gandhi said.
He also took a jib at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's over his poll "guarantees". "Modi's guarantee means a guarantee for Adani whereas the Congress means a
government of farmers, labourers, and youths. This is the difference. You have to decide," he told the gathering.
He stated that the Congress channels funds into the hands of the less privileged, while the BJP directs it towards Adani's wealth. He accused the BJP of aiding Adani, who allegedly utilizes the funds to acquire foreign companies, contrasting this with the Congress, which channels funds into the pockets of farmers.
Subsequently, during a public gathering in Nohar of Hanumangarh district, Gandhi asserted that the Congress party government, upon assuming power at the Centre, will initiate the process for conducting a caste census.
"The Congress party will conduct a caste survey in Rajasthan and when our government comes at the Centre, I am giving you a guarantee that we will start a caste census the day the Congress party government is formed," he said, promising rights and benefits to OBCs proportionate to their population.
Gandhi also said unemployment has gone up under the the Modi government at the Centre has made the youths unemployed.
"Every youth wants to work for the country but the policies of the Narendra Modi government have destroyed the energy of the youths in the country," he said.
He said BJP leaders spread hatred whereas the Congress runs "Mohabbat ki Dukan".
"Wherever BJP leaders go, they spread hatred. The Congress party cures this. 'Hum Nafrat ke Bazar Me Mohabbat ki Dukan' Kholte hai'," he said.
Hitting out at the crop insurance scheme of the Centre, Gandhi said, "PM Modi brought an insurance scheme. You people pay the money for this through GST. But when a storm comes, hail falls, farmers suffer losses then the insurance company people say they cannot give you even a single rupee. This is Narendra Modi ji's scheme."
He said demonetisation did not help anyone and during the Covid pandemic when people were dying, PM Modi asked people to switch on the lights of mobile phones and bang 'thali'.
"Inflation is on the rise, unemployment is increasing. Small and medium businesses were hit hard due to demonetisation. Is there anyone here who got any benefit from demonetisation? Did it help to wipe off black money as promised by PM Modi?" he said.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot later shared a photo on X from one of the rallies in which he was seen holding and raising hands of former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot and state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra.
"Hands raised towards the prosperity of Rajasthan," he wrote with the photo, emphasising on honesty and unity.
The state goes to polls on November 25 and the votes will be counted on December 3.
