The Congress’s vision focusses on creating jobs, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth to revive Kerala’s economy, said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Mr. Kharge was addressing the Mahajana Sabha organised by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) at Thekkinkadu Maidan in Thrissur on Sunday to kick off the election campaign of the Congress for the Lok Sabha election. Around 1 lakh workers attended the meeting, Congress sources said.
Political heat has gripped Thrissur with the Congress too officially launching the election campaign from here exactly a month after Prime Minister Modi flagged off the BJP’s campaign. Mr. Kharge said the Congress had envisaged inclusive development projects for economic, political, and social development, Mr. Kharge said.
“Farmers in Kerala are in distress. While the Congress was in power in the State and at the Centre, we provided maximum price for crops, including rubber. I assure you when we come into power again, not a single farmer will suffer. We remain steadfast in our promises for social and economic development.”
“Kerala has been facing challenges in infrastructure, environment and other fronts. The State had many remarkable achievements under the Congress governments of K. Karunakaran, A.K. Antony and Oommen Chandy. The mass contact programme of Chandy was recognised even at international level.”
The ‘Modi guarantee’
Mentioning the ‘Modi guarantee’ campaign for women, he called upon women to be careful about the BJP’s poll strategies. “The BJP is anti-women. When they approach you for votes ask them about the Olympian wrestlers, who were protesting for their honour.“
He said violence against women and minorities had increased manifold in the country. According to records, 51 women were attacked every hour. But the government was protecting the abusers, said Mr. Kharge.
Incidents of violence, rape, and attacks in Manipur were a matter of shame for the country. Even after nine months of violence, the BJP has failed to defuse the situation and re-establish peace. They were mute spectators. “Why did Modi not go to Manipur? He has time to visit the entire country, to address election rallies. But he has no time to visit Manipur.“
A comparison
He said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited conflict zones and relief camps without fear. “That is why he started the second leg of his yatra from Manipur. The Congress will stand with people in the time of crisis. All democratic institutions are attacked in the country under the Modi rule. Agencies like the CBI, ED, and Income Tax department have been weaponised to target Opposition leaders. People are being appointed to high posts, including universities, not on the basis of their merit but depending on their closeness to the RSS and the BJP, he said.
“Under the Modi rule, inflation has been increasing daily. The combination of unemployment and inflation adds to the misery of the poor and the youth. Nehru envisaged a mixed economy as the model for India, where public, private, and cooperative sectors were given prominence. The Congress provided all these sectors the opportunity to develop. Under Nehru, major projects came under the public sector. He termed them temples of modern India. These public sector institutions provided job opportunities for millions of people. Dalits and other minority organisations benefited hugely,” he said.
However, the Modi government focused only on private sector, Mr. Kharge said. “They have ignored all other sectors and allowed them to die a slow death. The Modi government dismantled the public sector supported only the private sector — that too a select few of his friends. He sold all public sector firms to rich industrialists, friends of his own. This election is very crucial. Your vote is not just a process. Use it wisely to protect the country and our democracy,” he said.
KPCC president K. Sudhakaran presided. Senior leaders including K.C. Venugopal, V.D. Satheesan, and Ramesh Chennithala participated.
