Rahul vows to empower tribals, eradicate poverty

Neeraj Mohan

New Delhi, May 7

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi vowed to uplift the tribal population and eradicate poverty through a series of welfare measures if the INDIA bloc was voted to power.

Targets BJP

If the BJP can make a handful of people crorepatis, we can ensure that crores of poor people become lakhpatis and transform their lives completely. — Rahul Gandhi, Cong Leader

He promised to credit Rs 1 lakh annually to the bank accounts of crores of poor households, with a focus on families from Adivasi, Dalit and backward communities. “If the BJP can make a handful of people crorepatis, we can ensure that crores of poor people become lakhpatis and transform their lives completely,” he said while addressing an election rally in Jharkhand.

Extending support to the tribal population, he pledged to secure their rights over “jal, jungle, and zameen” (water, forests and land) and return their usurped land. Emphasising the significance of tribal rights, he said, “Adivasis have the first rights over the land of this country. If I call you Adivasi, it means the resources of this country belong to you and you must have the first rights on them.”

Rahul criticised the BJP for derogatorily referring to tribals as “Vanvasis” and accused them of selling off forests to corporates like Adani, depriving tribals of their homes and livelihoods. He underscored the contrast between the BJP’s intentions and those of the INDIA bloc, asserting, “We want your children to become doctors, engineers, lawyers and industrialists.”

He also condemned the BJP’s alleged attempts to undermine the Constitution to consolidate power, warning against the consequences of such actions. “If the Constitution is dissolved, the tribals, Dalits and OBCs will suffer, and everything will fall into the hands of a few millionaires,” he said.

He announced that the Agniveer scheme would be abolished if the INDIA bloc was voted to power. “INDIA bloc will scrap the Agniveer scheme, a scheme brought by Modi and not by the Army. We do not want to differentiate between martyrs. Anyone sacrificing for the nation should be attributed martyr status, should be given pension,” he said.

He also raised questions over the implementation of GST with five slabs, saying the GST law would be amended by making one tax slab to provide relief to the poor.

He accused Modi of harbouring intentions to govern the nation outside the bounds of the Constitution.