After almost three decades, Congress has got a chance finally to address people of Bihar on its own. After Bhagalpur communal riots and Lalu having taken over the reins of Bihar, Congress was almost finished in Bihar. Jan Akanksha Rally will certainly give a boost to India’s oldest political party.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi Sunday addressed a sizeable crowd in Jan Akanksha rally at historic Gandhi Maidan at Patna. “The BJP governments at Centre can waive industrialists’ loans but not those of farmers,” he said. Mocking the announcement of helping the farmers with Rs. 6,000 yearly in three installments in interim budget 2019 presented by acting Finance Minister Piyush Goyal, he said, PM has given Rs 30,000 crore to Anil Ambani, but only Rs 17 per day to the families of the farmers of the country that comes Rs. three rupees and fifty paise per head.”
“With the money PM gave to Anil Ambani, three times MNREGA could have been funded, three times poor could have been benefited, but Narendra Modi and Arun Jaitley had no concern about the poor and the farmer,” he further said.
Rahul Gandhi Promises
Rahul Gandhi has promised that if Congress gets to power in Delhi, there will be a minimum income guarantee. He said that it would be historic and the first in the world. “Minimum income guarantee would be historic like previous historic achievements of the Congress party like Green revolution, White revolution, MGNREGA, Right to Education, Right to Information and Right to Food,” he added.
Gandhi has also promised that if Congress comes to power in the centre, Patna University will be given the status of Central University.
Rahul on Tejashwi and Grand Alliance in Bihar
“Tejashwi is a young leader. He shows his performance and does not tell a lie. We are going to form the government jointly in Centre after Lok Sabha and in Bihar just after assembly elections in a respectable and loving way,” Gandhi said.
“I have said in Uttar Pradesh that Congress party will not play at the back foot but at the front foot. Together with Tejashwi ji & Lalu ji, Congress party will play at the front foot and we will hit a six,” he added.
It is noteworthy to add that Congress and RJD have some inside tussle on seat sharing. Congress wants more than 10 seats in Lok Sabha from Bihar while RJD does not agree to give it more than 6 or 7.
Congress is part of Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) in Bihar which comprises of RJD, RLSP and HAM.
Rahul Gandhi on Bihar
Rahul Gandhi referred to PM Modi and asked, “What have you done for Patna University? What have you done for the employment of the youths of Bihar?” He added that Nalanda University and Patna University used to be popular all over the world for the standard of education. “But now, Bihar is no more a centre of education. It is the centre of unemployment,” he said.
Chowkidar Chor Hai: Rahul Gandhi
Everyone knows that chowkidar chor hai, said Rahul Gandhi. The amount of money that has been given to one Anil Ambani is enough to fund three MGNREGA. Rahul asked the crowd to tune in with him ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai. He said in 2014 the slogan was Acche Din Aane Wale Hain (Good Days are to come), now the slogan has changed to Chowkidar Chor Hai (Guard is the thief).
Rajasthan CM Bhupesh Baghel on Rahul Gandhi
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel greets the crowd in the local language. “Clouds of problems have darkened today. Constitution and constitutional institutions are under threat. Farmers are distressed, unemployment is at its peak. We are confident that Bihar will extend support to us. We are sure because we have Rahul Gandhi with us. To be Rahul Gandhi, it means to fulfil the promises made. Farmers in Chhattisgarh is happy and it’s all because of Rahul Gandhi. Bihar will stand up again.”
Tejashwi Yadav on Rahul Gandhi
RJD leader Tejaswhi Yadav addressed the rally at Gandhi Maidan. Welcoming Rahul Gandhi to Bihar, Yadav said, “We had wished that Gandhi was present in the previous Opposition’s rally, but he was pre-occupied with his foreign tour. We are happy today that Rahul Gandhi will today show the true face of Modi to the youth of Bihar.” Taking a jibe at Bihar CM he said, “We are in Bihar. We look at Nitish Chacha more than Modi.”
On NDA’s claims that Opposition’s alliance is opportunistic and made of several parties, Yadav said, “We are different people, different parties. Modi has today torn the country. We are stitching this country together with different threads.”
Accusing Modi of showing step-behaviour with Bihar, Yadav said: “When people ask Modi about his promises, he sends CBI, ED, official agencies against the political parties.” Calling Modi “a factory, wholesaler of lies,” Tejashwi Yadav said, “You (Modi) may accuse Lalu of multiple things, but will never be able to remove him from the hearts of people.”
Adding that Gandhi has the “ability” to be the prime minister, Tejashwi Yadav asked the Congress chief to look after Bihar in case he takes the top office. “Congress is the biggest party. Rahul Gandhi and Congress share the biggest responsibility to save democracy, look after the alliance partners and take them together.”
Sharad Yadav in Jan Akanksha Rally
Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav addressed the crowd in Patna. “In the democracy, people are kings. The NDA government is responsible for lynching, communal disharmony in the country and the protests in the Northeast. Today, democracy is in danger. The biggest responsibility today is on Congress – the oldest party in India and Rahul Gandhi. I request all the Opposition parties to come together against the Modi government.”
MP CM Kamal Nath in Jan Akanksha Rally
The first thing I did, after assuming the charge as the CM, was waiving off the farm loan. Today is 3 Feb, till 3 March we will waive off the farm loan of 30 Lakh farmers. After 3 March, we will waive off farm loan of rest of the 15 Lakh farmers.
Jeetan Ram Manjhi in Jan Akhansha Rally
Former Chief Minister of Bihar and Mahadalit Face of Grand Alliance Jeetan Ram Manjhi also said that Rahul Gandhi is fit for PM candidate of Grand Alliance. Manjhi had formed his own party Hindustani Awaam Party after a break up between him and Nitish Kumar though he had not left the NDA. Few months back, he had left the NDA and become a part of Grand Alliance.
AICC in-charge of Bihar Shaktisinh Gohil said: “Our rally will create history. It is for the first time in three decades that the Congress is holding its own rally in Gandhi Maidan.” He also added that while Congress leaders have spoken at rallies organized by party’s allies, in Patna’s rally, “We will be the hosts and alliance partners like Tejashwi Yadav, Upendra Kushwaha and Jitan Ram Manjhi have been sent invitations to lend strength to our fight against the BJP.”
