Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra with other party leaders at a public meeting in Jhunjhunu district, Rajasthan. PTI
New Delhi, October 25
The Congress today promised an annual honorarium of Rs 10,000 to the women heads of families in Rajasthan.
Targeting the BJP-led government at the Centre during an election rally at Jhunjhunu, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the government had money to waive loans for big businessmen, buy jets worth Rs 16,000 crore for the PM and build a new Parliament, but not for waiving loans of farmers or giving pension to employees.
The Congress leader also promised cooking gas cylinders for Rs 500 to 1.05 crore families if voted to power.
Priyanka said industrialist GD Birla, who founded world-class institution BITS (Birla Institute of Technology and Science), Pilani, was from the region. “Then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru also supported him in this endeavour. Today’s central government is promoting only two businessmen. Airports, ports and PSUs are being handed over to them. They are not generating any employment opportunities and they have vision or roadmap,” she said.
The Congress leader said public sector undertakings were being handed over to private parties and employment opportunities were drying up. “Private operators do not follow the principle of reservation of jobs for marginalised sections,” she said. Referring to a paltry sum contributed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a temple recently, Priyanka said, “PM Modi’s ‘lifafa’ (envelop) is empty.” She said realising the importance of women voters, the government had brought the women’s reservation Bill. But it would be implemented only after 10 years. “They are not talking about caste census. They promised the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project but nothing was done. Their promises are hollow. The Congress governments in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh, on the other hand, are implementing all their promises,” she claimed.
CM Ashok Gehlot and former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot were also present at the event.
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