Demonetisation, GST weapons to kill farmers, labourers: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked the Narendra Modi government, saying that its moves like demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax (GST) were "weapons to kill farmers, labourers and the poor in the country".

He said that a battle is on in India between the ideologies of the BJP-RSS and INDIA bloc, who are believers of hatred and love, respectively.

The battle is also between violence and unity, Gandhi said.

“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 while addressing a poll rally in Jamshedpur.

“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,” Gandhi said.

The Congress leader also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of funding capitalists who in turn invest money abroad.

Gandhi exuded confidence that they would defeat Modi and work for the welfare of the masses.

During the address, Gandhi took a two-minute break after Jharkhand Health Minister Banna Gupta informed him that azaan (Muslim call to prayer) was on.

---

Addressing another rally at Baghmara in Dhanbad, the Congress leader charged the central government with formulating a tax structure designed to "loot the poor".

"Indian tax structure is to loot the poor. Adani pays taxes equivalent to you. Dharavi land (Mumbai) worth Rs 1 lakh crore is being handed over to him," the Leader of Opposition said.

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress leader said that he travels in seaplanes and goes inside the sea, "but the poor and women bear the brunt of price rise".

The Congress leader pointed out that Scheduled Tribes (STs), Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) constitute 90 per cent of India's population, but they are not proportionately represented in government institutions.

"We will give to the poor funds equivalent to debt of capitalists waived by PM Modi," said Gandhi.

The Congress, if voted to power, will ensure caste census and removal of the 50 per cent cap on the reservation, Gandhi claimed.

"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. If we are voted to power in Jharkhand, we will raise reservation of STs to 28 per cent from the present 26 per cent, SCs to 12 per cent from the current 10 per cent and OBCs to 27 per cent from the existing 14 per cent," he claimed.

Gandhi also asserted that a caste census is "a must to identify the participation of tribals, Dalits and OBCs" in various institutions and wealth of the country.