Will scrap Agniveer scheme, amend GST, implement Sarna religious code for tribals: Rahul Gandhi
Gumla/Chaibasa (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the Agniveer scheme will be abolished if INDIA bloc is voted to power, alleging that it was initiated by PM Narendra Modi and not by the Army. He also promised to amend the GST and bring out a separate Sarna religious code for tribals. Rahul Gandhi was addressing an election rally in Ghumla on Tuesday.
"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 at an election rally in Jharkhand's Gumla. "The BJP government implemented wrong GST schemes with five tax slabs. We will amend it and make one tax slab which will be minimum. We will reduce the tax burden on the poor," he said.
The former Congress chief attacked the BJP-led Centre for "betraying" tribals and alleged that Modi insulted President Droupadi Murmu. "PM insulted President Murmu, a tribal, by not inviting her to the new Parliament building inauguration and Ram Temple consecration in Ayodhya," he said. He also alleged that the saffron party is hell-bent to hand over PSUs, railways and land to industrialists.
"I am your 'sipahi' stationed in Delhi to protect your rights on Jal, Jungle, Jameen. Tribals have the first right on resources and governance, but the BJP government wants to wipe out your existence and rights in the name of 'vanvasi'. It is attacking the Constitution and reservation and they want to demolish these while INDIA bloc is committed to save the Constitution," he said.
Rahul Gandhi said, "BJP wants to trample your identity, culture, and history while it is only committed to Adani, Ambani," and alleged that "Narendra Modi government handed over 24 years of MGNREGA money to industrialists by waiving Rs 16 lakh-crore of 22 industrialists."
He accused the BJP of indulging in spreading hatred whereas INDIA bloc was committed to creating harmony. “They (BJP) spread hate… We will open a stall of love in the market of hate”, he stated. He appealed to people to vote for INDIA bloc candidates - Sukhdeo Bhagat from Lohardaga and Kalicharan Munda from Khunti.
Earlier, addressing a poll rally at Chaibasa, the Congress leader accused Modi of wanting to hand over the state's 'Jal, Jungle, Jameen' to industrialists. "The PM wants to hand over the 'Jal, Jungle, Jameen' of the tribals to 14-15 industrialists...Narendra Modi works for Adani, Ambani ...he made 22 billionaires in his 10-year tenure... We will provide Rs 1 lakh annually to poor women if voted to power," he added.
"The BJP wants to confine tribals to roles like domestic help. They never want you to become doctors, engineers and lawyers. They want to hand over jungles to industrialists... The country is being run by 90 IAS officers and out of them, there is only one tribal who has been sidelined in Delhi. The tribal population is around 8 percent in the country," he said.
Gandhi promised to make crores of people 'lakhpati' and provide one-year apprenticeships to unemployed diploma holders and graduates if voted to power. "If voted to power, we will give apprenticeship opportunities to unemployed graduates and diploma holders and pay Rs 8,000 per month," he added. Additionally, he pledged to provide Rs 8,500 per month to women.
Asserting that this Lok Sabha election is for saving the Constitution and the rights of tribals, poor and backward, he said INDIA bloc leaders were ready to sacrifice their lives to save the Constitution. He attacked the press for its alleged partisan role and claimed that the majority of the media houses are run by industrialists.
He also promised to scrap the contractual job system in PSUs and said reservation would be increased to above 50 percent. "The Congress government will assure MSP (minimum support price) for all products by farmers; MNREGA daily allowance will be raised from Rs 250 to Rs 400 and remuneration of ASHA and anganwadi workers will be doubled," he said.
Talking about jailed former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Gandhi said the BJP has put the tribal CM behind the bars but "Hemant Soren chootega (he will be released)" to which the crowd responded with slogans like "Jail ka tala tutega, Hemant Soren chootega (jail locks will be broken, Hemant Soren will be released).
Addressing the rally, Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana Soren asked the gathering whether it was right to put her husband behind the bars before the election. She said that the INDIA bloc would give a befitting reply to Soren’s imprisonment with 'vote ki chot (strike with vote)' on May 13, the date Singhbhum Lok Sabha seat goes to poll.
Leaders including Gandhi appealed people to vote for INDIA bloc candidate Joba Manjhi of JMM, who is contesting against BJP's Geeta Kora.
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Dubai, May 19: A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi suffered a “hard landing” on Sunday, Iranian state television reported, without immediately elaborating.
Raisi was travelling in Iran's East Azerbaijan province. State TV described the area of the incident happening as being near Jolfa, a city on the border with with the nation of Azerbaijan, some 600 kilometres (375 miles) northwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran.
Raisi had been in Azerbaijan early Sunday to inaugurate a dam with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev. The dam is the third one that the two nations built on the Aras River.
Iran flies a variety of helicopters in the country, but international sanctions make it difficult to obtain parts for them. Its military air fleet also largely dates back to before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Raisi, 63, is a hard-liner who formerly led the country's judiciary. He is viewed as a protégé of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and some analysts have suggested he could replace the 85-year-old leader after his death or resignation from the role.
