BJP loves Manipur, NE only during polls: Priyanka Gandhi
Source: Chronicle News Service / NNN

Imphal, February 15 2022: AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed BJP for showing interest in the northeast including Manipur only during times of election and forgetting once they take the rein of power.

Addressing a virtual election rally of Congress for the ensuing elections to the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly from New Delhi on Tuesday, Priyanka Gandhi said that apart from making promises that were never translated into action, no changes have been brought about in Manipur under the BJP-led coalition government.

Though BJP is praising Manipur as the Jewel of India, the party does not give the respect it deserves as a state of the country.

They should respect the culture and tradition of the people of the state and their identity, which are different from others.

BJP's one nation, one religion and one language agenda has given an impact on the unity in diversity of the country.

Manipur is also hit by its agenda as the harmony among the different communities has been disturbed.

Impact is felt on the state's culture and tradition, she said.

"Unless you have a politics that truly respects your state, culture and people from the heart, not just at the time of elections, only then can the development of Manipur take place," the Congress leader said.

The problems in Manipur are increasing because the government does not have the will to work.

It depends on creating division on the basis of religion and ethnicity and dividing people is the only way that their politics progresses, she alleged.

"BJP's will is to come to power and remain in power by any means.

It is impossible for a state to develop with such kind of politics.

Manipur needs a government that understands the state and the voices of the people," she added.

Priyanka recalled how the BJP formed the coalition government in the state in an undemocratic way.

She also said that the saffron party had abused the people's mandate.

"The mandate was in favour of Congress.

The party emerged as the single largest party but BJP formed the government by going beyond the fundamental right," she further alleged.

She said that in the 2017 Assembly elections, Congress got the people's mandate by securing 28 seats (in the 60-member Assembly) but BJP captured power through manipulation, undemocratic process, bullying, bribing and fundamentally following unethical means.

"At the same time, the BJP had hardly fulfilled the promises it had made in the last elections.

BJP had promised to create jobs for the educated unemployed youth, but no policy or work to generate employment was taken up," she said and alleged that the BJP government is promoting corruption.

Manipur has its own potential to create jobs.

It has huge potentials in bamboo industry, medicinal and aromatic plants, oil plants and many other rare plants.

The state also has significant potentials in tourism and hydroelectric power generation.

However, the BJP-led government lacked the political will to frame policies to solve the unemployment problem in the state, Priyanka said.

She observed that once MSMEs are strengthened, it will be able to create a big employment opportunity in the state.

If voted to power, Congress will focus on resolving unemployment problems, she assured, while adding that Congress always focuses on development and women empowerment.

Priyanka Gandhi also criticised the BJP led government at the Centre while alleging that its policies are focused on benefiting the industrialists and corporates and the poor and middle class are left to their fate.

She said the BJP government at the Centre was generally giving benefits to two to three big industrialists of the country who are making thousands of crores a day whereas the poor and middle-class people are not getting any support from the government.

"The individual voices are being throttled and suppressed by the BJP.

The party made so many promises before the elections, but after the election, the BJP ignored Manipur and the Northeast region.

Everything has been imposed from the Centre," Priyanka said.

Saying that the politics of BJP and Congress is different, she accused the BJP of not giving space to the diverse sections of people leading to discrimination and unrest in the society.

Terming Manipur as the jewel of the country, Vadra said that there is a huge unemployment crisis in the state despite the tourism sector having great sources of employment opportunities and jobs could be created by helping small and medium scale industries.

Alleging that states, regions and all people of the country are not being treated equally by the BJP, the Congress leader said that the BJP government at the Centre and in the states do not respect individual life and culture, different ways of living, diverse opinions causing rising discriminations.

Demanding 33 per cent reservation for women in the government jobs and free transport for the women in Manipur, the Congress leader said that she has been constantly trying to provide equal opportunities to women while the BJP's ideology never supports this policy.

Noting that Manipur has huge potentiality in tourism, hydroelectric to handloom and handicrafts, she said that if the Congress after the election comes to power unemployment allowance would be given, would protect each ethnic group and community, curb rising drug menaces, provide free health care, resolve unemployment and women's problems.

"Congress is always focusing on development and women's empowerment," she stated.

The state is faring extremely low in health index and budget allocation in health sector is also low.

People of the state were ignored during the nationwide lockdown of Covid-19.Response from the government to counter the pandemic and its impact was low.

Vaccination rate is pretty low and fatality rate is high as compared with the rest of the country.

Life came to a standstill during the pandemic and business activities were severely affected.

As a result, people lost jobs, price of essential commodities soared high and corruption rate increased, she said.

Women of the state always come forward when it comes to social issues.

Congress government gave a fresh identity to the renowned Ima Keithel by constructing new market complexes.

Women are the pride of Manipur and Congress considers women to be equal.

It is constantly striving to bring them forward.

Congress promises to give 33 per cent reservations for women in government jobs, provide free transportation, give unemployment allowance, right to free healthcare to everyone, MSF for rice, complete household tap water connection, improve irrigation to promote double cropping, conduct ADC and urban local body elections regularly, she said.

Speaking at the event, CLP leader and former chief minister O Ibobi contended that the Modi government spent eight years by telling lies.

Several BJP leaders including defence minister Rajnath Singh are carrying out election campaigns in the state as the party is aware of the rejection by the public and they fear that they will lose the election.

He called upon the party members, workers and supporters to play their part in bringing Congress back into power and bring out the state from the dark period of BJP rule.

MPCC president MLA N Loken, AICC Manipur in-charge Bhakta Charan Das and other party leaders also attended the virtual meet.

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