Cong will protect history, culture: Rahul Gandhi
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, February 21 2022:
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that the party will protect the history, culture and language of Manipur which the "BJP and RSS have undermined" .
The Lok Sabha MP also promised to provide one-third reservation to women in Manipur, revive.the MSME sector, make the state self-sufficient in rice production, improve irrigational facilities, construct food parks and build more Ima markets'.
Addressing a public rally at Hapta Kang-jeibung, Rahul Gandhi said, "BJP and RSS come to Manipur not with respect but with a sense of superiority.
On the other hand, I come with humility to learn from the diverse tribes, the hills and the valley, and how you treat your women".
Congress party sees the country as a union of states and the same is enshrined in the Constitution of the country.
I believe that every single state has equal right to have own languages, culture, history and a way of looking at themselves.
On the other hand, BJP believes in one ideology, one language and one culture.
India is facing a battle between these two ideologies" he said.
"Uttar Pradesh is bigger than Manipur but for us, both the states are equally important," he added.
He claimed that union home minster Amit Shah invited some BJP leaders from the state to his residence and asked them to take off their shoes while keeping his shoes on.
"A minister defended it saying it is their culture to take off shoes but it is not my culture to humiliate guests by asking them to remove their shoes.
They are assaulting our culture and traditions," he said.
The Congress leader said that BJP has also assaulted the democratic traditions by not holding ADC elections in the hills despite claiming that it has brought governance at the doorsteps.
PM Modi promised to create 2 crore jobs every year and transfer Rs 15 lakh into the bank count of every citizen of the country in 2014 .
However, the Modi government has failed to deliver those promises.
Instead the BJP government is pushing the lives of the common people into misery with ill-prepared GST and flawed policies like farm laws.
"Oil Palm plantations are being planned to destroy your future.
These will benefit only a handful of big businesses.
I should ask if BJP is supporting the state and its people or Patanjali," he said.
He also alleged that the country's economy had a major setback due to poor policies of the BJP government during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thousands of people died due to lack of oxygen and ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic as the Modi government diverted its focus on clanging plates and lighting mobile phone torches.
The north eastern states are among the worst performers in vaccination till date.
"We will guarantee MSP in horticulture.
We want to make Manipur self-sufficient in rice production by improving irrigational facilities and promoting triple cropping practices.
The Congress will revive the MSME sector, and support and protect smaller businesses, focus on food processing industries and establish food parks," he said.
Earlier, after his arrival at Imphal Airport around 11 am, Rahul Gandhi went to Shaheed Minar and Nupilal Complex where he offered tributes to the patriots of the state.
From there he went to Hapta Kangjeibung to attend the election rally.
Later, he attended meetings with party leaders before leaving Imphal.
CLP leader and former chief minister Okram Ibobi, MPCC president MLA N Loken and other party MLAs and leaders also attended the rally, which was attended by large number of Congress supporters from different parts of the state.