PANJIM: All India Congress Committee (AICC) leader and MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that if voted to power in Goa, Congress will not allow the State to turn into a coal hub and will scrap the three linear projects.
Gandhi, on a day’s visit to the State, also said that an attempt would be made to restart mining activity in the State via the legal route and assured party workers that defectors and traitors will not be readmitted into the party.
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Addressing a party workers convention (Jagor) at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, Gandhi announced that Congress will transfer Rs 72,000 per annum to the bank accounts of deserving families under Nyay Yojana, if the party is voted back to power.
“Congress will never allow beautiful Goa to become a coal hub. Congress will focus on four key areas, i.e employment, health care, education and tourism. We are committed to develop the State and take it to the path of progress by taking everyone together, unlike the BJP, which believes in dividing the people,” he said.
Gandhi said that that Goa is experiencing record unemployment, which was never seen before.
Referring to defections by party MLAs, the Congress leader assured the workers that the party doors will be closed to defectors and traitors who ditched the voters and that the party will run as per the wishes of the workers.
“This is a political and ideological fight. We are not just fighting elections. We are fighting to define what Goa is going to become, how Goa is going to treat itself and how Goa is going to treat the rest of the world,” he said.
“This is a battle between two ideologies. We (Congress) represent the idea of united and prosperous Goa and work with each other while, BJP represents the idea that Goa has to be divided, disrespect each other and Goans cannot share with each other,” he said, adding that Congress is going to win this fight.
Gandhi alleged that the Central government was handing over the country to a select few persons at the cost of the common people.
“Some years back the Prime Minister came on television and announced demonetisation. Then the government passed a flawed Goods and Services Tax (GST) and flawed farm laws. The farm laws are designed to crush the farmers. There is a systematic plan in operation to attack the unorganised sector, small and medium business, small traders, labourers and farmers. There is plan to take from them and give to the five to six richest and powerful, who are benefitting,” he said.
“Be it ports, coal, airport, agriculture, retail or telecom, you will find the name of the same person. The Union government is handing over this country over to few businesses in all sectors,” he alleged.
Gandhi charged that China has entered our land and is sitting on an area the size of Delhi, but the Prime Minister said nobody had taken away the territory. Nation is being divided, he said.
The Congress leader asked how employment would be generated if the backbone of the economy was broken.
“Prime Minister had said that ‘Achhe Din’ will come but he did not tell whose ‘Acche Din’. Small and medium enterprises being attacked, agriculture is being attacked, youth are not getting employment. How will employment be generated if the backbone of the economy is broken? Selected people have become richer while common people have become poorer,” he said.
Gandhi said what was happening in Delhi is also happening in Goa but Congress would not let it continue. “Exactly the same battle is taking place in Goa. Goa is being made a coal hub. Railway line is being doubled and State is being turned into a coal hub. Mining will also be given to same person,” he said.
