'When will we get Rs 1,500', Himachal village women ask Rahul Gandhi

Tribune News Service

Lalit Mohan

Indora, January 18

Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra reached Manser village in the Indora Assembly constituency of Kangra district at 7 am today. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, HPCC president Pratibha Singh and other senior party leaders received Rahul. Punjab state Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring handed over the Tricolour to Sukhu and Pratibha Singh.

The 24-km yatra that passed through Indora concluded at Malout village in the constituency. It halted in Kathgarh area where Congress leaders had lunch and rested for three hours after walking 11 km.

Rahul waived to women and children who had gathered at rooftops in their villages to witness his yatra. He threw toffees towards children and stopped at various places to interact with women. At some villages, women asked him to get LPG cylinder price reduced. They also asked him when the state government would give them Rs 1,500 per month, as promised by the Congress before the Assembly elections. Rahul assured them that they would soon start getting Rs 1,500 per month.

Rahul, while addressing a gathering at Manser village, said that the yatra was aimed at uniting the nation against communal and divisive forces. “My aim is to unite the nation against anti-people policies of the BJP government,” he added.

He said that the Central Government had failed to address unemployment and inflation issues. Sukhu said that the massive victory of the Congress in the state was in fact the victory of truth over corruption and the credit goes to dedication and hard work of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.

The Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh would follow the path of unity, integrity and coexistence shown by the Congress. Pratibha Singh assured Rahul that the state government would implement all 10 guarantees given to the people of the state. She said that the government had in its very first Cabinet meeting announced the implementation of the old pension scheme (OPS) for its employees and other promises like providing Rs 1,500 to women in the 18 to 60 years age group would also be implemented soon.

Later, Rahul paid obeisance at the historical Shiva Temple at Kathgarh. Congress in-charge for Himachal Rajeev Shukla, Congress co-incharge Sanjay Dutt, former Union minister Anand Sharma, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and Speaker Kuldeep Pathania took part in the yatra.

On the Sidelines

• Some Congress leaders struggled to reach the enclosure where they were to meet Rahul Gandhi during lunch time
• A senior Congress leader, who was earlier part of the G-23 group, was cold-shouldered by other leaders
• A senior bureaucrat went out of the way to please central Congress leaders and develop a connect with them
• Officials had a tough time making arrangements for Congress leaders and workers participating in the yatra
• The supporters of Congress MLAs from Kangra were standing along roads to make their presence felt
• Party leaders were seen teasing each other over fitness after walking 11 km in the first leg of the yatra

#Bharat Jodo Yatra #Kangra #mukesh agnihotri #pratibha singh #rahul gandhi #sukhvinder singh sukhu