Shivamogga
The Congress never dispossessed the ‘mangalasutra’ of women but instead granted land to lakhs of people through land reforms, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge said, in a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent controversial comment.
Addressing an election campaign here on Thursday, he said Shivamogga had been the land of many social movements.
Following the struggle of tenant farmers in the district, many got land because of the Congress, which implemented land reforms. “Lakhs of people have benefited from our programmes. We never tried to dispossess the ‘mangalasutra’ [of women] or checked how much gold or silver one had. Don’t believe in Mr. Modi’s statements,” he said.
Stating that the Indian Constitution was under threat under the BJP rule, Mr. Kharge said the Congress would protect it. The party had been with the poor people. The guarantee schemes launched by the State government had helped lakhs of families. Similarly, the party had promised guarantees for the entire nation ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
“Our guarantees will help the poor people of the country,” he said, and raised the slogan ‘Modi hatao, desh bachao’.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the BJP did not fulfil its promises in the last 10 years.
“The BJP has failed on all fronts. The youth have been suffering without jobs. However, the Congress has come out with guarantees for the people of the country,” he said.
He also alleged that the Centre delayed drought relief for the state. It agreed to release funds only after the State approached the Supreme Court, he said.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the Congress would win 20 of the 28 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, and Shivamogga would be one of them.
AICC leader Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, Minister for School Education Madhu Bangarappa, and actor Shivraj Kumar were among those present.
