Highlighting support of Congress party for weaker sections of society, Rahul Gandhi today said, “Gujarat doesn’t just belong to 5-10 big industrialists, it also belongs to the farmers, laborers and small-scale businessmen.” Gandhi was today addressing members of fishermen, Dalit, public health and teaching communities in Porbandar. Launching a scathing attack on the Modi Government’s demonitisation, he said, there were no suited-booted people standing in bank queues then. The Congress vice-president further went on to explain the reason behind their absence from these queues by saying, “Those suited-booted persons entered by the back door of the bank and sat under the air conditioner.”
He said the voice of Gujarat’s richest people have been heard in the assembly and the Chief Minister’s Office for 22 years. Rahul promised to change this tradition if Congress is voted to power. In a bid to woo fishermen, he said, if Congress wins, a different ministry will be formed for the fishing community like agriculture. “Fishermen should have a different ministry, and if our government is formed then we will do this work, ” he said. Rahul Gandhi added that when the Congress party was in power, we used to subsidize diesel, this subsidy was given to 5 lakh people.
Currently, the Congress vice-president is on a two-day campaign tour of Gujarat, during which he will accept a giant tricolor made by the Dalit community. The national flag was meant to be presented to Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani a few months ago but officials in the state capital had reportedly refused to accept it citing lack of space.
Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said, “During his visit, Rahulji will accept a giant national flag, measuring 125 feet in length and 83 feet in height, from Dalit students of the Kendra. He will also address locals and Dalits of surrounding areas at the center.” The founder of the DSK, Martin Macwan, said, the giant flag was made as part of their movement to end untouchability in the country.
The high-octane electoral tussle between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state will take place on December 9 and 14 and votes will be counted on December 18. The outcome of the Gujarat elections may impact the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The two main contenders for power, however, have already launched high decibel campaigns, with both Modi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi addressing several rallies in the state.
