Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday claimed the BJP-led NDA will not even get 150 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha election and that these elections were aimed at saving the Constitution which the saffron party and RSS want to change.
Addressing an election rally at Jobat town in Alirajpur district under the Ratlam-Jhabua Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi also said the Congress government will ensure the 50 per cent cap on reservation is removed in the interest of the people.
The former Congress president again batted for a caste census, saying it will reveal everything about the status of people and change the direction of politics in the country.
“BJP leaders have clearly said that they will change the book [Constitution]. They have given the slogan of ‘abki baar, 400 paar’. Leave aside 400, they won’t even get 150 seats,” Mr. Gandhi claimed.
“These Lok Sabha elections are for saving the Constitution which the BJP and RSS want to scrap, change and throw away,” he further claimed.
The Congress and the opposition INDIA alliance were protecting the Constitution, he said.
“It is due to it (Constitution) that the tribals, Dalits and OBCs are getting benefits. The tribals have the right over water, land and jungles due to the Constitution,” Mr. Gandhi said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to snatch the people’s rights, he claimed. “We want to stop that,” he added.
“Their leaders have said that they will snatch away reservation given to tribals, Dalits and OBCs,” Mr. Gandhi claimed.
“I want to tell you from this stage that leave aside [talk of] snatching reservation, we are going to raise it above 50 per cent. The court has contained the reservation limit at 50%,” he said.
Mr. Gandhi said the Congress government will work for giving reservation to tribals, Dalits and OBCs as per their need.
“We call you adivasi, the first owner of the land and jungle. The Forest Rights Act, PESA have been implemented to protect your rights. They want to reverse the benefit we have extended to you all,” Mr. Gandhi claimed.
The INDIA alliance, if voted to power, would go ahead with a caste-based census and “economic census for the uplift of the tribal, Dalits, OBC and the poor from general castes.
“This is revolutionary work which we are going to do,” he said.
“Modiji only cares for 22 billionaire businessmen and has waived their loans of lakhs of crores,” Mr. Gandhi claimed.
The opposition alliance thinks about the uplift of tribals, Dalits, OBCs and the poor from general castes, he said.
Gandhi alleged that PM Modi lied about his government giving employment to two crore (youth annually).
He further said the Congress wants to turn crores of people into “lakhpathis” in the country.
Under the Mahalaxmi Yojana, a poor woman will be given ₹1 lakh [annually] until her family is pulled out of poverty, Gandhi said.
“As part of the scheme, a woman will get ₹8,500 per month,” he said.
Gandhi also said the opposition alliance, once voted to power, will enact a law to ensure the minimum support price (MSP) to farmers for their produce.
“As soon as our government is formed, we will waive the loans of farmers,” he said.
Gandhi claimed that currently unemployment in the country was the highest in the last 45 years.
The Congress leader also announced an increase in wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) from ₹250 to ₹400 per day.
