New Delhi (TIP)- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, April 11, said the upcoming Lok Sabha elections were a contest between the “poor and 22-25 billionaires” in the country, and a battle to save the country’s democracy. The former party chief, who addressed two rallies in Rajasthan, sharpened his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for indulging in large-scale corruption through electoral bonds.
At his first rally in Anupgarh in Bikaner Lok Sabha constituency, Gandhi said, “It is an election of the backwards, Dalits, tribals and poor people in the general category.”
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.
He said that the job of the media is to raise the voice of the public but it never speaks about the public’s issues and the “billionaire” owners who control them will not allow the media persons to speak “right” questions.
“Two-three percent people get employment in media, 15-20 people control the media and these people praise Modi 24 hours,” he said.
Later, at a rally in Phalodi in the Jodhpur constituency, he accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of indulging in corruption through electoral bonds.
“Extortion is going on and its name is electoral bonds,” Gandhi said as he campaigned in support of the Congress candidate Karan Singh Uchiyarda.
The Congress leader said industrialist Gautam Adani’s stock prices started rising after 2014, when the BJP came to power at the Centre, and continue to rise because India knows that Adani and the prime minister have a very good relationship.
“Modi said ‘I want to eliminate corruption’ and brought the electoral bonds scheme. Industrialists gave thousands of crores of rupees to the BJP (through the electoral bonds). Modi said no one should know the name of the person who gives money under the scheme. A few days ago, the Supreme Court said the scheme is illegal and should be cancelled,” Gandhi said.
Rajasthan will go to the polls in two phases, on April 19 and April 26. Polling for 12 Lok Sabha seats will be held in the first phase on April 19, while the remaining 13 seats will be polled in the second phase on April 26. Source: HT
Tag: Lok Sabha elections
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Lok Sabha elections a fight to save democracy: Rahul
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Congress releases manifesto for 2024 Lok Sabha elections, calls it ‘Nyay Patra’
New Delhi (TIP)- The Congress on Friday, April 5, released its manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi. Top leaders of the Congress, including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and former party presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, released the poll manifesto, days before the general elections.
In its manifesto, the Congress laid emphasis on Paanch Nyay or or ’five pillars of justice’, including ‘Yuva Nyay’, ‘Naari Nyay’, ‘Kisaan Nyay’, ‘Shramik Nyay’ and ‘Hissedari Nyay’ as well as the guarantees made by it to the people as part of its election promises for Lok Sabha polls.
Key promises
– The Congress said it will fill nearly 30 lakh vacancies in sanctioned posts at various levels in central government.
– The Rajasthan model of cashless insurance of up to Rs 25 lakh will be adopted for universal healthcare.
– The Congres will give legal guarantees to MSP announced by the government every year as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission.
– The Congress will ensure that, like every citizen, minorities have the freedom of choice of dress, food, language and personal laws. We will encourage reform of personal laws. Such reform must be undertaken with the participation and consent of the communities concerned.
– The Congress said it will conduct a nationwide socio-economic and caste Census to enumerate the castes and sub-castes and their socio-economic conditions and it will pass a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations for SC, ST and OBC.
“We will abolish application fees for government examinations and government posts. Due to widespread unemployment, as a one-time measure of relief, the amount due including unpaid interest as on 15 March 2024 in respect of all student educational loans will be written off and the banks will be compensated by the government,” said the Congress in the manifesto.
After wide consultation, the Congress will bring a law to recognise civil unions between couples belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community.
The central government’s contribution to pensions for senior citizens, widows and persons with disabilities under the National Social Assistance Programme remains a pitiful Rs 200- Rs 500 per month. The Congress will raise this amount to Rs 1,000 per month, said the party.
“We will reserve one-half (50 per cent) of central government jobs for women starting in 2025,” the Congress.
The Congress will enact a separate legislation for the registration of sports federations/bodies/associations which will ensure full compliance with the Olympic Charter, allow for autonomy and full accountability, and provide recourse for members and sportspersons against discrimination, bias, sexual harassment, abuse, wrongful termination, etc. Congress will provide sports scholarships of ?10,000 per month to talented and budding sports persons below the age of 21.
The Congress resolves to launch Mahalakshmi scheme to provide ?1 lakh per year to every poor Indian family as an unconditional cash transfer. The poor will be identified among the families in the bottom of the income pyramid.
Source: HT -
17 Non-BJP Opposition parties pledge to stand together to unitedly contest BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha elections
Amidst anti-BJP rhetoric and promises to contest together, the Opposition concludes its first strategy meet on 2024 Lok Sabha election, without any common statement or declaration of seat sharing formula
PATNA (TIP): Framing the next general election as a fight between “democracy and dictatorship”, 17 Opposition parties came together, projecting a united front in Patna on June 23. At the end of the four-hour long meeting, no joint statement was issued, nor a seat-sharing formula declared. It concluded on the promise of fighting the BJP together and leaving behind the burden of past prejudices. The meeting was the first of the many that the Opposition has planned. The next meeting will be hosted by the Congress in Shimla around mid-July. Barring a few tense moments, with bitter exchanges between the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the atmosphere was convivial. Many Opposition leaders urged the Congress to be “generous.” It too played its part by listening more and speaking less. The meeting began with an opening address from Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar and his colleague from Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Lalu Prasad. Mr. Kumar, according to sources, said that as “we edge closer to May 2024 many more political parties will join this block”.
Mr. Prasad, who appeared for the first time in a political meeting after his recent kidney transplant, urged the Congress to be “large-hearted” and said that the larger force in each State should be given primacy – a view that was echoed by Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav later during the meeting.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was urged to speak, as the leader of the largest party present, but Mr. Kharge chose to listen instead and decided to speak at the very end.
NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar wanted a joint statement issued, though the other parties disagreed, saying it is too early to frame one. Mr. Kejriwal advocated for embracing the “nation first, party second” motto, appealing for each party to be flexible.
The discussion then veered towards the widely anticipated electoral arrangement. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M.K. Stalin elucidated that there can be no “single formula for seat sharing across the country”. It will vary from State to State according to the political equation there. It was also endorsed by National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, who called the formula of one common candidate against BJP in 543 seats “impractical”. West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee demanded that the Opposition work with the goal of “no vote to BJP” but at the same time be conscious that this fight does not devolve into “BJP versus All”. Instead, it is about “BJP vs People of India”, she said.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi who spoke towards the end underlined three things. He referred to comments by Mr. Pawar who cited the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) in Maharashtra as an example of how the Opposition can overcome past differences and ideological issues. “I have come here without any past memory. Congress party will not hold on to its past likes and dislikes,” Mr. Gandhi said according to sources. Opposition unity, he said, begins with a clean slate. He said the BJP currently enjoys a monopoly over finances, institutions and modes of communication. To counter this, the Opposition has to build a common narrative. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said the Opposition must focus on the issue of economic distress.
Addressing a joint press conference at the end of the meeting, Mr. Kumar slammed BJP saying that the party in power at the Centre these days “is not working in national interest”.
Ms. Banerjee said the Opposition will work to stall the BJP “even if blood flows”. “We resolved three things. One we are united, second we will contest the election together against BJP and third, the next meeting will be held in Shimla,” she said before adding, “History has started from here”.
Mr. Kharge said in the next meeting further discussions will take place on region-specific political situations.
Former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti and Mr. Abdullah said that the very “idea of India is being threatened today”. “Today democracy and other institutions of our country are being attacked and what started in Kashmir is now gripping the whole country. Gandhi’s country will not become Godse’s country… there will be our government,” said Ms. Mufti. Mr. Abdullah hoped that free and fair elections are held in Jammu and Kashmir.
Left leaders D. Raja, Mr. Yechury and Dipankar Bhattacharya echoed, “We’ll move together and fight together to reclaim our Republic before it is lost”. Similarly, Mr. Pawar and Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray said the first step towards a joint effort against BJP “has started from Patna today”. “Several movements have started from Patna and now this too has begun. We’ve decided from here to contest elections unitedly and I’m quite confident that we’ll achieve our goal”, said Mr. Pawar. “Well begun is half done” quipped Mr. Thackeray.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Mr. Akhilesh Yadav and Mr. Prasad too addressed mediapersons and said the “meeting was the first step towards their common goal”.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah termed Patna Opposition meeting ‘a photo session’ and added “These parties can never come together on a common platform”.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on June 23 said the joint Opposition meet in Patna was merely a “photo session” and that the parties could never come together on a common platform.
Speaking at a government function to inaugurate a forensic laboratory and other development projects in Jammu, Mr. Shah said people had already decided that the Narendra Modi government would return to power in 2024 with more than 300 seats.
BJP President JP Nadda termed it an opportunistic association. He said the Opposition huddle was opportunistic and riddled with contradictions. “I was surprised as all Opposition party leaders are embracing each other and meeting in Patna on June 23. It reminded me of my childhood days as I had my birth and schooling in Patna. It is the same Lalu Prasad Yadav who was sent to jail for 22 months by Indira Gandhi, grandmother of Rahul Gandhi, and it is Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was sent to jail for 20 months by Mrs Gandhi,” Mr. Nadda said, addressing a public meeting at Kalahandi in Odisha.
“When I see the images of Rahul Gandhi being welcomed in Patna, I wonder how politics has changed…where they started and where have they landed now,” he said“Now, Uddhav Thackeray is in Patna. His father Hindu Samrat Balasahab Thackeray used to say he would never let Shiv Sena become Congress and he would rather close his shop if he had to align with Congress. Now, his son is closing down his shop. It is a strange politics,” Mr. Nadda said.