New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Tuesday termed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act an “attack” on the language, history and culture of Assam, and promised that his party would not allow it to be implemented in the state if voted to power in the ongoing Assembly polls.
Urging the people to vote for the Congress and its ‘Mahajot’ alliance, he reiterated his party’s assurance of providing employment to five lakh youth and Rs 365 minimum wage to tea garden workers.
In a video message posted on Twitter, Gandhi said he was to campaign in the state on Tuesday, but could not reach there due to inclement weather.
“I could not reach Assam today due to bad weather, but my and the Mahajot’s message is clear. We will take Assam forward on the path of progress and prosperity with the five guarantees promised. With that objective, please support the Mahajot by voting in large numbers,” he wrote on Twitter along with the video.
Gandhi also alleged that the BJP was “attacking” the hill-tribe people by planning to scrap Article 254-A. He pledged that the ‘Mahajot’ alliance will implement it.
Voting for the Assam Assembly is being held in three phases. The first phase of polling was held on March 27, and the second and third phase would be held on April 1 and April 6 respectively.
The Congress, which was in power for 15 years in Assam since 2001, has formed a ‘Grand Alliance’ with AIUDF, BPF, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML), Anchalik Gana Morcha (AGM), RJD and Jimochayan (Deori) Peoples Party (JPP) to fight the upcoming Assembly election against the BJP-led NDA.
In his video message, Gandhi said, “The Congress party and the Mahajot alliance has given five guarantees which include not allowing the CAA to be implemented in Assam. This is an attack on Assam and also an attack on your language, history and culture. We will not allow it to be implemented.”
“We guarantee to provide employment to five lakh youth and Rs 365 minimum wage to tea garden workers. We also guarantee 200 free units of electricity to each family and Rs 2,000 every month to every housewife in Assam,” he also said.
In this election, please support the Congress party and the Mahajot and help it win with a heavy margin and we will implement the five guarantees as promised, Gandhi said.
He asked the Centre to explain what it has done to uplift the labourers, including tea garden workers, in the state.
“What did the central government do to wipe the tears of crores of daily wage labourers, including those working in tea estates? The public has understood that there is no relation between ‘jumlas’ (rhetoric) and development,” the former Congress chief said.
The Congress leader has been accusing the BJP government of doing nothing in the name of development and resorting to only rhetoric.
PTI
