Jharkhand Election 2024: Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi momentarily paused his speech during a rally in Jamshedpur on Saturday to show respect for the Azaan. The interruption came when Jharkhand Health Minister Banna Gupta informed him that the call to prayer was taking place. Rahul resumed his address after a brief two-minute break.
A video of the same surfaced on social media.
Jamshedpur, Jharkhand: Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi stop his speech for the Azaan and resumed his speech after the conclusion of Azaan pic.twitter.com/MEx01CfQo2
— IANS (@ians_india) November 9, 2024
During his speech, Rahul sharply criticised the BJP-led Union government, alleging that policies such as demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) are “weapons to kill” farmers, labourers, and the poor. “The policies of Narendra Modi are responsible for spreading unemployment in India. Demonetisation, GST are weapons to kill the poor, farmers and labourers,” he said.
Rahul underscored a fundamental battle between two opposing ideologies in the country. “The BJP and RSS are playing politics to divide India on the basis of caste, religion and language. The Congress wants to protect the Constitution of India, while the BJP-RSS is hell-bent on destroying it,” he alleged.
He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of aiding capitalists who, in turn, invest money abroad, though he refrained from providing further details. Exuding confidence, Rahul declared, “We will defeat Modi and work for the welfare of the masses.”
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Jharkhand Polls: ‘Indian Tax Structure Is To Loot The Poor,’ Rahul Gandhi Says In Dhanbad
Addressing another rally in Baghmara, Dhanbad, Rahul accused the government of formulating a tax system designed to exploit the poor. “Indian tax structure is to loot the poor. Adani pays taxes equivalent to you. Dharavi land (Mumbai), worth Rs one lakh crore, is being handed over to him,” he alleged.
He took a dig at the Prime Minister, remarking that while Modi travels in seaplanes and dives into the sea, the burden of price rises continues to affect the poor and women. Rahul further alleged that marginalised communities, including Scheduled Tribes (STs), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), lack proper representation in government institutions despite forming 90 per cent of the country’s population.
Promising significant policy changes if Congress comes to power, Rahul stated: “We will give to the poor funds equivalent to debt of capitalists waived by PM Modi.” He emphasised the necessity of a caste census and the removal of the 50 per cent cap on reservations.
“The Constitution is under constant attack and it needs to be protected. We will remove the cap of 50 per cent reservation at any cost,” he asserted. In Jharkhand, he pledged to raise reservation quotas: STs from 26 to 28 per cent, SCs from 10 to 12 per cent, and OBCs from 14 to 27 per cent.
Rahul concluded by advocating for a caste census, which he described as essential “to identify the participation of tribals, Dalits and OBCs” in various institutions and the nation’s wealth.
