Cong promises Rs 15 lakh health cover, one million jobs if voted to power in J'khand

Simdega, Nov 8 (IANS) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday promised to provide Rs 15 lakh health cover and one million jobs to youths if voted to power in Jharkhand Assembly elections.

Besides, the Gandhi scion also promised an increase in reservation limit to more than 50 per cent, domestic LPG for Rs 450, Rs 3200 MSP to farmers for paddy, seven kg ration to every person per month, degree college in every block and Rs 2,500 to women every month.

Addressing a gathering to campaign for the party's candidate from Jharkhand's Simdega seat, he again raised his pitch for "Save the Constitution" and caste census.

Drawing a comparison between the INDIA bloc and NDA, he said: "NDA wants to divide the society and end Constitution but we want equality and brotherhood in the state. We want to run the country as per the Constitution."

He said: "Constitution was not only a book but has the thoughts of Birsa Munda, B. R. Ambedkar and Phule, Mahatma Gandhi and protects rights of the poor people of the country but Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to suppress it."

He alleged that the BJP wants to snatch adivasis' forest, water and land and give it to industrialists.

The Congress leader said: "BJP addresses adivasis as vanvasi (a term used by Britishers) while we use the term itself as used by Birsa Munda."

Giving his interpretation of both words, he said: "Adivasi means the first owner of the country while vanvasi means, people who reside in forests."

"If we say you (tribals) are Adivasi, your land, water and forest rights should be yours, while Vanvasi means you reside in the forest but do not have any right over the land and water," he said.

Moreover, the Constitution uses the term Adivasi not vanvasi and calling the tribals vanvasi was an "insult", former Congress President said.

"We want that if your land is taken, even for the sake of development, you should get appropriate compensation, if an industry is set up, your children get a job in that," he said.

He further said that the BJP does not want tribal people to get white-collar jobs.

The Congress leader said that 90 per cent people in the country are backwards but don't have any representation in the government.

Rahul Gandhi shared that he asked PM Modi for a caste census, after which the former said: "I was trying to divide the society."

He also attacked PM Modi for not visiting Manipur which was on the boil.

The Congress leader claimed that after coming to power at the Centre, his party would stop the Agnipath scheme.

The state Assembly will go to polls in two phases on November 13 and 20.

INDIA bloc constituents Congress, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), RJD and CPI-M are contesting the polls for the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly.

--IANS

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