MUMBAI, Nov 17: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday criticised the ruling BJP for its policies, claiming Maharashtra was deprived of jobs due to the shifting of some big projects to Gujarat.
Speaking at a rally in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district while campaigning for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls, she claimed the ruling alliance leaders were trying to divert the attention from real issues and making attempts to polarise the society.
Targeting the Mahayuti government over its flagship Ladki Bahin scheme, Vadra said women should vote for a better life and not because they are getting Rs 1,500 a month.
The Congress leader also said if the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comes to power, it will give Rs 7,000 per quintal MSP to farmers for soybean crop.
Vadra claimed there were more than 2.5 lakh vacant posts in Maharashtra. The state has been deprived of jobs due to the shifting of Foxconn, Airbus projects to Gujarat, she added.
“People are making efforts, learning new skills, but they still can’t find jobs. This should have been the government’s primary focus, but it has failed to fill these posts,” she said.
She also sought to link suicides by youth in Maharashtra to lack of job opportunities.
“Maximum number of youth suicides in the country are happening in Maharashtra. This is the result of the BJP’s failure to address unemployment,” the Congress leader claimed.
On the slogan “ek hain to safe hain” (if we are united, we are safe) raised by BJP leaders during the poll campaign, Vadra said the word ‘safe’ has two meanings – security and coffer.
“But in this country, the only one who is truly safe is Adani. The entire country knows that Adani is the only one who has access to the government coffers, while ordinary citizens struggle,” she alleged.
The Congress leader also claimed that key sectors like airports, ports and some of the major companies were under Adani’s control, and alleged that government policies favoured one individual.
“The government should be focused on creating jobs, not allocating national assets to one person,” she said.
Vadra alleged that key sectors like airports, ports, and companies were under Adani’s control, claiming government policies favoured one individual. She argued that the government should focus on job creation rather than the allocation of national assets to one entity.
Vadra also criticised the BJP for the alleged lack of accountability in governance.
“During the Congress rule, our leaders were accountable to the people. However, under the BJP, this accountability is gone. Ministers, chief ministers, and the prime minister have become unanswerable to the people,” she said.
“Their behaviour is different…they divert attention from real issues and focus on polarising the society,” she alleged.
Vadra raised concerns about tribal land allocation to private companies in states like Chhattisgarh.
“Ask the people of Chhattisgarh how much tribal land has been given to Adani,” she said.
Vadra promised that if the MVA comes to power, it would focus on accountability, job creation and providing support to the people.
“The direction of politics has changed over the last ten years. We will bring it back to where it belongs- with the people,” she said.
Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra, Vadra underlined the importance of conducting a caste census and lifting the 50 per cent reservation cap.
“Rahul is saying this daily, travelling across the country to make this point. And what does Modi ji say? He says that Rahul Gandhi is against reservation. Think about it.” Vadra said while challenging PM Modi to commit to conducting a caste census and removing the quota ceiling.
Vadra accused the BJP of undermining democracy, referencing the toppling of the MVA government in Maharashtra.
“You elected a government, and Modi and his people removed it through bribery. A new government (Mahayuti of Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP) was formed, and today, we learn that Adani was part of that government,” she said.
Urging voters to focus on real issues, Vadra asked, “Do you have access to water and electricity? What is your income? Is unemployment decreasing? Is inflation coming down? Are you making progress in your life?”
She reiterated the MVA’s promise to fill vacant posts and provide unemployment allowances of Rs 4,000 per month for job seekers. She also assured support for women, pledging Rs 3,000 monthly as a gesture of respect, not linked to elections.
“Congress established AIIMS, IITs, big dams, and other establishments across the country. But, today discrimination is being meted out to Maharashtra as big industries, which are supposed to come up here, are shifted out of the state,” Vadra said, adding that big semi-conductor projects and Air Bus went to Gujarat.
Other big projects, including Safran, also shifted out of Maharashtra, she alleged.
Altogether, projects of Rs 10 lakh crore were shifted out of Maharashtra, 8 lakh jobs lost, and more than 6,000 companies shut down, Vadra claimed.
She accused BJP leaders of doing lip service for preserving the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and referenced the collapse of the warrior king’s statue in Sindhudurg district a few months back.
“They invoke Shivaji Maharaj on the stage but don’t bother to give him respect in reality,” she alleged.
She alleged the health system in Maharashtra has failed and mentioned the case of a tribal man from Gadchiroli who reportedly walked 15 km carrying his dead child on his shoulder to reach hospital. (PTI)
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