Pathankot: Continuing his tirade against the BJP and RSS, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused them of creating fear, hatred and violence and fear in the country. The BJP was dividing the people in the name of religion, caste and language and creating a rift among people, he alleged while addressing a rally here on the last day of Bharat Jodo Yatra's Punjab leg.
Recalling the policies of the UPA government, he said it launched MGNREGA, waived farm loans, urban renewal mission, green revolution, and white revolution. "Whether our party was at the helm or not we strive to wipe out fear among the people whereas BJP spreads fear," he pointed out. Hitting out at the BJP government's lopsided policies, he said, "Farmers'toil day and night and feed the nation. But farmers do not want anything in return, they only want respect," he opined. He took potshots at the Centre over the now-repealed three farm laws and said these created fear in the minds of farmers.
Rahul pointed out that farmers have been deprived of compensation for their crop damage because of the vagaries of weather. "Not even a single farmer told him that he received insurance compensation when he suffered crop loss due to natural calamities," he claimed while speaking about Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana,
Lashing out at the Centre over the Agnipath defence recruitment scheme, he said, "It has shattered the dreams of those aspiring to join the Defence Forces." He said lakhs of youths aspire to join the Armed Forces. Launching a scathing attack at the Centre over the demonetisation and GST, Rahul reminded that Ludhiana used to be the manufacturing hub of small and medium enterprises and used to compete with China. Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, MPs Amar Singh, Mohd Saddique, former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, Harish Chaudhary and others were present at the rally.
