Farmers asking for MSP, youngsters want jobs, but no one listening: Rahul

JAIPUR: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at the BJP-led Centre on Thursday, saying farmers are asking for a minimum support price (MSP) for their crops, youngsters are seeking employment, women want relief from inflation, but no one is listening.

The upcoming Lok Sabha polls are about protecting the country's Constitution and democracy, the former Congress chief said. "It is an election of the backwards, Dalits, tribals and poor people in the general category," he said, addressing a rally in Anupgarh in the Bikaner Lok Sabha constituency of Rajasthan.

The biggest issue in the country today is unemployment, followed by inflation, Gandhi said.

"Ask anyone. Unemployment is the biggest issue in the country. Inflation comes second.

"Ninety per cent people will say inflation but if you follow the media, it will seem that the most important issue is Ambani's (son's) wedding. (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi's face will be seen in the media 24 hours a day. Sometimes he will go under the sea, sometimes he will be seen flying in a seaplane, sometimes he will be seen beating a thali, sometimes he will be seen asking people to show the flashlight of their mobile phones," he said.

Gandhi said the media's job is to raise the people's voice but it never talks about the issues concerning the public and the "billionaire" owners who control the media houses will not allow journalists to speak up.

"Two-three per cent people get employment in the media, 15-20 people control the media and these people praise Modi 24 hours," he said.

The Congress leader claimed that Modi waived the loans of 25-30 richest people of the country and that money could have been spent on paying MGNREGA wages for 24 years.

He also said the first task of the Congress after coming to power at the Centre will be getting a caste census conducted.

He said contract labour in the government and public sector undertakings (PSUs) will be done away with.

The Congress leader said Modi waived the loans of billionaires but did not waive farmers' loans.

"Modi clearly told the farmers that your loans will not be waived, you are terrorists and he will not give them the MSP. Our government will implement the MSP. If Modi can waive loans, the Congress will waive the loans of farmers," he said.

Gandhi said the bank accounts of the Congress have been frozen.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre has taken money from big industrialists through electoral bonds, he claimed, adding that the upcoming election is a battle between the country's poor people and 22-25 billionaires.

"Farmers are saying give us MSP, youngsters are saying give us employment, women are saying save us from inflation, but no one is listening," Gandhi said.

He claimed that the armed forces did not want the Agnipath scheme for short-term recruitment, but Modi implemented it from the Prime Minister's Office. After the Congress forms its government at the Centre, the scheme will be abolished, Gandhi said.

He highlighted the promises made by the Congress in its Lok Sabha poll manifesto and said all of those will be honoured as soon as the party comes to power.

He also said farmers are paying taxes for the first time in India's history.

The upcoming election is a battle to protect the Constitution and democracy, Gandhi said.

"It belongs to the 90 per cent population -- the backwards, Dalits, tribals and the poor. On one side is Adani and the big billionaires of India, the national media. All the money is in their hands. The accounts of the Congress have been closed. By mounting pressure through electoral bonds, the BJP has taken money from big industrialists. This election is an election between the poor and 22-25 billionaires," he said.

The rally was organised in support of Congress candidates Govind Ram Meghwal from Bikaner and Kuldeep Indora from Ganganagar in the Lok Sabha polls.