Farmers Movement Archive

Bihar assembly elections: NaMo, Nitish did nothing for migrants, says Rahul

PATNA: Campaigning for the third phase of polling on Tuesday in Katihar and Kishanganj, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi kept the focus firmly on the Mahagathbandhan’s core issues of unemployment, migration and farmers’ problems and launched a blistering attack on both PM Narendra Modi and chief minister Nitish Kumar for failing to help hapless migrants during the lockdown. “Do you remember how Modi Ji and Nitish Ji had left the people of Bihar, UP and Jharkhand to walk barefoot without food and water? He did not even give a five-hour notice and announced the lockdown, promising the problem will be solved in 22 days. When he failed, he made you bang plates and light your mobile flash,” Rahul said. He added, “And what was he doing, he was then waiving off loans of big businessmen. He had betrayed you, just like the way he cheated you all with the promise of two crore jobs and Rs 15 lakh in everyone’s account.” He praised the work done by his party for the migrants during the lockdown and said even though they were not in power, they had arranged for buses and did whatever little they could. Rahul said farmers of Bihar were not getting the right price for their produce. “When a farmer can get Rs 2500/quintal for paddy in Chhattisgarh, why is he given Rs 1200 in Bihar? In Chhattisgarh, farmers directly get money in their account and what we have done for the farmers there, we will do the same in Bihar.” Rahul promised to sort out the issue of annual floods in Bihar and assured that if the Mahagathbandhan government is formed, farmers will get a better price for their paddy and corn and there will be food processing units in the state. He also slammed the three new farm laws saying they will deteriorate the condition of farmers across the country while giving benefit to only two big middlemen, Ambani and Adani. Rahul said the biggest question for the country is how youths will get employment. “When youths are asking this question to Nitish Ji in his rallies, he starts abusing them.” As the rallies were held in the Muslim-dominated Seemanchal region, along with raising the issue of the farm laws and unemployment, Rahul asked people to remain conscious of the BJP’s “B team”. In Muslim-dominated Kishanganj, Rahul said there are NDA and Mahagatbandhan in the fight and there is the BJP’s ‘B’ team. “A team and B team tries to create hatred and division. But we have to remain united and this will give benefit to all,” said Rahul, adding he had always been the target of RSS and PM Modi. “I tread the path of truth. Let them say whatever they want, we don't mind. We will defeat them. If anyone is fighting with Narendra Modi, it is me.” He is scheduled to hold two more rallies on Wednesday at Bihariganj in Madhepura and in Araria assembly which are going to polls in the third phase.

The Times of India

2020-11-04

Patna