Dhar (Madhya Pradesh), October 5: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi today asked why the Enforcement Directorate was not pursuing the cases against the scam-tainted officials and others in Madhya Pradesh. She said, over 250 scams had been reported in MP during the 18 years of the BJP rule, but the ED had not summoned or questioned anyone.
Addressing a massive public rally here today, Gandhi also announced several guarantees for the people of Madhya Pradesh which include debt waiver of farmers, 100 units of power for Rs 100, up to 200 units at half the rates, Rs 1,500 social security stipend to women and restoration of the old pension scheme.
Priyanka urged the people to not get carried away by big promises. She asked them to make their choices based on their own experiences. She also cautioned against being distracted on emotive issues like caste and religion. These were just the distracting and diversionary tactics to divert attention from the pressing issues like unemployment, rising prices, farmers’ distress and other things, which the government does not want to be discussed, she added.
Without taking any names, she said, some people have turned their leaders into gods. Leaders are not gods, she said, while adding, they are from amongst the common people. She said, “if someone gets arrogant, you have to make him answerable”.
Referring to the claims made by the BJP about providing free ration to the needy, she said, it was their right and not any favour done by anyone. She said, this is nothing as compared to thousands of crores of debts owed by Adani, which have been waived off.
She cautioned people against getting carried away by the “election announcements”. She said, they should be asking the Prime Minister who has been making all sorts of announcements, as to why these announcements were being made now when elections are round the corner. These could have been done during the 18 years of BJP rule, she pointed out.
Gandhi expressed confidence that if people made a reasonable choice based on their own experiences, while keeping in view their own future, state’s and country’s future, they would only vote for the Congress party.
Asserting that it was the Congress party alone that can guarantee unity, progress and a strong India, Priyanka Gandhi said, “it is only the Congress party which has made this country strong, which has made this country independent, which has kept the country united and which has put the country on the path of progress and development”.
After announcing several guarantees, she told the people to cross-check for themselves whether the Congress governments have fulfilled such guarantees in other states like Karnataka, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Even in Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi reminded the public, when five years ago a Congress government was elected and before it was stolen by the BJP using corrupt means, it (the Congress government) had achieved unparalleled milestones in just 18 months.
She pointed out, the Congress government led by Kamal Nath had waived off the debt of 27 lakh farmers, provided a monthly social security of Rs 600, provided 100 units of electricity at Rs 100 to one crore families, started Adivasi Bartan Bank, raised the OBC reservation from 14 to 27 percent, provided ten percent reservation for economically weaker sections and set the roadmap for metro in the cities of Bhopal and Indore.
Among those present on the occasion, included PCC president and former Chief Minister Kamal Nath, AICC general secretary in-charge for Madhya Pradesh Randeep Singh Surjewala, former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, Kantilal Bhuria, Suresh Pachouri and others.
