: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Wednesday the Agniveer military recruitment scheme will be scrapped and thrown in the dustbin if the INDIA bloc comes to power, as he slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "turning India's jawan into labourers".
In his first election meetings in Haryana for the Lok Sabha polls, Gandhi also attacked Modi over the issue of farmers' debts. He claimed that the Modi government waived loans amounting to Rs 16 lakh crore for 22 "arabpatis (top industrialists)" but openly says it "won't waive farmers' debts as it will spoil them".
"We had brought the land acquisition bill to protect farmers and give them due compensation, but the Modi government scrapped it. They brought three black farm laws and farmers had to take to the streets," the former Congress president said at a rally in the Bhiwani-Mahendragarh Lok Sabha constituency.
At another rally in the Sonipat parliamentary constituency, Gandhi claimed that the BJP would change the Constitution if it came to power again. "This fight and election is to save the Constitution and reservation and rights of the poor," he said.
Gandhi also claimed that in the 10 years of the Modi government, the country has been divided into two parts -- 'arabpatis' on one side and farmers, labourers and unemployed youths on the other. "The rich are growing richer, poor are getting poorer," he said.
Slamming the BJP government over the Agniveer scheme at the Mahendragarh rally, Gandhi said, "This is Modi's scheme, not the Army's scheme. The Army does not want it. This scheme has been framed by the PMO (Prime Minister's Office)."
"When the INDIA bloc forms the government, we will chuck the Agniveer scheme in the dustbin, we will tear it up," he added. India's borders, Gandhi said, are secured by the youths of Haryana and the country. "There is patriotism in the DNA of our youth," he said, adding, "Modi has converted India's jawans into labourers."
Sharpening his attack on the BJP government, the Congress leader said, "They say there will be two types of martyrs -- normal jawans and officers who will get a pension, martyr status and facilities, and those from poor families who have been named Agniveer. Agniveers will neither get martyr status nor pension or canteen facility."
Gandhi also said when the INDIA bloc comes to power on June 4, debts of farmers in Haryana and other states will be waived, adding, "We will bring a 'karza maafi' commission." He also mentioned a legal guarantee on MSP. "Whenever Haryana farmers need their debts waived, the commission will tell the government and it will be done. When they can waive Rs 16 lakh crore for industrialists, why can we not help farmers, labourers and the poor," he asked.
Attacking the prime minister, the Congress leader said, "Modi's reputation has finished, the balloon has burst." "Today, I can make Narendra Modi say whatever I want... For 10 years, you (Modi) did not name Adani-Ambani and now you took their names in a speech. Modi said Adani-Ambani was giving money to the Congress. How could you know they were sending money in a tempo," he asked. "If you knew about it, then why did you not initiate an inquiry," Gandhi added.
The Congress leader also claimed that the whole nation knew "Modi ji and Ambani's partnership was running" the government. Referring to the schemes proposed in the Congress' poll manifesto, he said a list of all the poor people in every state would be compiled. "One woman will be selected from each family. On June 4, the INDIA (alliance) government will be formed. On July 4, work will start. Rs 8,500 will be transferred into the bank account of one woman from each family," Gandhi added.
He said Haryana had shown the country the path of development. "A storm is brewing here. Congress ka toofan araha hai. Congress and INDIA alliance will get all the seats here," Gandhi claimed. The Congress leader accused Modi of spreading hatred and alleged that the BJP was "openly" saying it would "finish off" the Constitution and scrap reservation.
Waving a copy of the Constitution, he asserted, "Leave aside the BJP, there is no power in the world that can finish off this book." Gandhi also hit out at a section of the media and alleged that they were "friends of 2-3 industrialists" as they would either show Ambani weddings, Bollywood stars or Narendra Modi on their channels round the clock.
The Congress leader spoke about several of his party's poll promises. Voting for 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana will be held on May 25 in the sixth phase of the general election.
