Centre’s Policies Are Affecting Reservations: Rahul

Raipur: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that the current general elections are not merely to elect the MPs, but to save the Constitution.

Addressing an election rally at Sakri in Takhatpur falling under Bilaspur Lok Sabha constituency in Chhattisgarh, Mr Gandhi said the Constitution of India is facing serious threat from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

BJP and RSS want to change the Constitution to abolish the reservation system in the country, he said, and added that “This poll is very significant as far as preservation of our Constitution is concerned”.

Mr Gandhi declared that the Congress, if voted to power in the general elections, will remove the 50 percent cap on reservation and increase the quota to accommodate Dalits, tribals and backward classes suitably.

He pledged to waive farm loans and accord legal guarantee to minimum support price (MSP) of various crops if Congress won the polls.

The Congress leader also declared that the Congress, if voted to power, will solve the unemployment problem by bringing the right to apprentice law.

He said that the unemployed youths would be provided skill development training and employed for a year for an annual package of Rs one lakh each.

Mr Gandhi further said that a woman member in each family would be provided an annual assistance of Rs one lakh under ‘Mahalaxmi Yojana’.

The Congress leader accused BJP of trying to abolish the reservation system by privatising public sector units in the country.

AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge is scheduled to visit Janjgir-Champa in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday while AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi is scheduled to address an election meeting in Korba in Chhattisgarh on May two.

The final round of the three-phase Lok Sabha polls in Chhattisgarh is going to be held on May seven.

BJP had won nine out of 11 LS seats in 2019 while Congress bagged the remaining two seats.