Free education in government institutions, an annual ₹4,000 assistance for those who collect tendu leaves and farm loan waiver are among the several sops announced by former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Saturday in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, even as he kept his focus on the party’s OBC outreach with the promise of a caste-based survey for the State.
Addressing election rallies in Bhanupratappur and Farsgaon in the Naxal-affected Bastar division, the Congress leader asked why is Prime Minister Narendra Modi scared of a caste census when he (Mr. Modi) talks about Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in his speeches.
“Narendra Modi ji uses OBC word in every speech and he identified himself as an OBC but why is he scared of the caste census? OBCs have to be aware as they are being ditched,” Mr. Gandhi said.
If the Congress is voted to power at the Centre, countrywide caste census would be conducted and a caste survey would be done for the State, Mr. Gandhi assured.
In his speech, the Congress leader attacked the BJP for “working” for a privileged few and projected his party as the one that worked for farmers, Dalits, labourers and Adivasis.
“We are going to take a major step for you which we call ‘KG to PG’. From KG [kindergarten] to PG [post-graduation], free education will be provided for students in government institutions. They will not have to pay a single penny,” he said.
‘Vanvasi, Adivasi’
In the tribal-dominated Bastar region, Mr. Gandhi said ₹4,000 per year would be given under the Rajiv Gandhi Protsahan Yojana to tendu leaves collectors. Pointing out that the BJP used the word ‘vanvasi’ in place of ‘Adivasi’ for tribals, the Congress leader said its use was an attack on the culture, history and language of the tribals. He also mentioned the viral video where a BJP leader in Madhya Pradesh was seen urinating on a tribal man.
Mr. Gandhi asserted that key promises made by his party ahead of the last Assembly polls had been fulfilled in Chhattisgarh. “We had promised to give ₹2,500 per quintal for paddy to farmers and now they are getting ₹2,640 per quintal as our intention is clear. After some period it will become ₹3,000 per quintal,” he said.
While the Bhanupratappur Assembly seat is located in Kanker district, Farsgaon is a part of the Kondagaon constituency in neighbouring Kondagaon district. Both the seats are among the 20 constituencies that will vote on November 7 in the first phase of the Chhattisgarh elections. The second phase will be held on November 17.
During his speech at Bhanupratappur, the Congress leader briefly stopped and walked over to the corner of the stage, carrying a bottle of water, to inquire about someone who fainted.
