Patna: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi declared on Monday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will no longer hold office after June 4, citing a strong nationwide wave in favour of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc. “There is a clear storm (toofan) in favour of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc across the country, including in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Narendra Modi will not be the prime minister of India after June 4,” he asserted.
Gandhi pledged that, if the I.N.D.I.A. bloc is voted into power, they will abolish the Agnipath scheme for defense recruitment and deposit ₹8,500 monthly into women's accounts. “The I.N.D.I.A. bloc, if voted to power, will throw the Agnipath scheme into the dustbin. Modi ji has turned soldiers into laborers. The Centre has made two categories in the Army — Agniveer and others. If an Agniveer gets injured or is martyred, he will neither get martyr status nor compensation. Why this discrimination?” he questioned.
Accusing Modi of disrespecting soldiers, Gandhi said, “He calls himself a true patriot but he insulted jawans by implementing the Agnipath scheme.” Highlighting public sentiment, Gandhi invited a boy named Vikas to the stage, who criticized the Agniveer scheme as discriminatory.
Gandhi also announced financial support for women from below-poverty-line households. “From July, ₹8,500 will be deposited in the accounts of women from BPL households every month. Initially, we will give you ₹1 lakh annually, later we may increase it to ₹2 lakh annually,” he stated.
Taking a jab at Modi's "sent by God" comment, Gandhi remarked, “After June 4, if ED asks Modi about corruption, he will say I don't know anything... I was told by God to do this. This is the reason he concocted this story... he says he is not biological but a messenger of God. Did God send him to serve billionaires?”
“He (PM) has developed strategies to divert attention from real issues. Sometimes he talks about crocodile attacks, sometimes he starts walking on Ganga,” Gandhi added. “This election is to save the country, Constitution, democracy, and reservations for the poor,” he said at a rally in Paliganj.
Gandhi promised that the I.N.D.I.A. bloc would reopen closed industries and fill 30 lakh job vacancies if elected. “We will conduct a caste census and economic survey, and remove the limit on reservations. Initially, when I raised the issue of caste census, Modi ji said there are only two castes in India—rich and poor. If that is so, how did he become OBC?” he questioned.
He also assured that farmer loans would be waived under Congress rule, addressing distress caused by unemployment and inflation. “People earning thousands and those making crores are paying the same GST,” he pointed out.
In a related incident, Gandhi narrowly avoided an accident when a portion of the stage at his rally in Paliganj collapsed. As he was being led to his seat by RJD president Lalu Prasad's daughter Misa Bharti, a section of the stage sagged. Bharti quickly steadied Gandhi, assuring concerned security personnel that he was unharmed.
