Will waive farm loans in 10 days if voted to power in MP: Rahul
Mandsaur, June 6: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday kicked-off the party's poll campaign in Madhya Pradesh, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of betraying the farmers and promising to waive farm loans in 10 days if voted to power.
Rahul Gandhi also promised that the families of the farmers who were killed in Mandsaur will get justice in 10 days if his party was voted to power.
While addressing a rally, Rahul Gandhi questioned the delay in filing of a probe report into the death of seven farmers in police firing a year ago, alleging that the BJP government had failed to provide security to farmers and address their concerns.
"I assure you, when the Congress forms government in Madhya Pradesh, farmers' loans will be written off within 10 days. The families of the farmers (killed in Mandsaur last year) will get justice in 10 days and we will take action against those responsible for the firing," the Congress President said.
Rahul Gandhi lashed out at the state and the Centre for ignoring the farm distress across the country.
"The governments are of no use if they cannot provide security to farmers and their families. A total of 1,200 farmers committed suicide in Madhya Pradesh. Did any rich person or their family member commit suicide who have lakhs of crores as debt," he said, addressing the Kisan Samriddhi Sankalp Rally.
"Our priority will be to provide security to the farmers and their families," he added.
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi paid tributes to the dead farmers in Piplia Mandi town of Mandsaur district.
"The Prime Minister and Chief Minister (Shivraj Singh Chouhan) talk about the farmers but when they demand the right price for their produce and ask for waiving off their loans, they do not listen.
"Prime Minister waived off loans worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore of just 15 businessmen, but when I requested him to waive off farm loans, he maintained a studied silence," said Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi also said the food we eat is all due to the efforts of our farmers and their families and not rich businessmen. "That is why farmers are our priority," he added.
"My priority is the people of this country, then it is the Congress karyakartas and third is the Congress leaders.
"My dream is that when we come here after 5-7 years and look at our phones, we find 'Made in Mandsaur' written on it. Narendra Modi and Shivraj Singh Chouhan won't be able to do this work. Kamal Nath and Scindia (Jyotiraditya Scindia) can do this," the Congress President said.
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59 percent voter turnout in first phase in J-K, polling peaceful: CEO
Jammu, Sep 18: A voter turnout of about 59 percent -- "the highest in the past seven elections" -- was recorded in the first phase of assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, Chief Electoral Officer P K Pole said.
However, these are tentative figures and may rise after the final reports are received about postal ballots, and from remote pockets like Marwah, Wadwan, Dachhan and Machail in Kishtwar, the officer said.
Briefing mediapersons here after polling ended at 6 pm, Pole said the elections -- which covered 24 seats in seven districts -- ended peacefully without any untoward incident.
There are reports of some minor incidents of scuffle or argument from a few polling stations but "no serious incident" occurred that could have forced a repoll, he said.
Over 2.3 million voters were eligible to cast the ballot to determine the fate of 219 candidates, including 90 Independents.
"The polling percentage of 59 percent is highest in the past seven elections -- four Lok Sabha polls and three assembly elections," he said, attributing the increase in the voter turnout to various factors including improved security situation, active participation of political parties and candidates and a campaign by the department.
He said Kishtwar district recorded the highest 77 percent turnout, while Pulwama district witnessed the lowest 46 percent.
Doda district recorded a turnout of 69.33 percent, Ramban district 67.71 percent, Kulgam district 61.57 percent, Anantnag district 54.17 percent and Shopian district 53.64 percent.
In the 2014 assembly elections, the district wise poll percentage was: Pulwama 44 percent, Shopian 48 percent, Kulgam 59 percent, Anantnag 60 percent, Ramban 70 percent, Doda 73 percent and Kishtwar 76 percent.
In Kishtwar districts, he said, the Padder-Nagseni segment recorded the highest 80.67 percent voting followed by Inderwal (80.06 percent) and Kishtwar (78.11 percent).
In the nearby Doda district, Doda west segment recorded 75.98 percent, Doda (70.21 percent) and Bhaderwah (65.27 percent).
In Ramban district, Banihal segment recorded 71.28 percent and Ramban 67.34 percent, he said.
Among the seven constituencies of Anantnag district, Pahalgam recorded the highest voter turnout at 67.86 percent, followed by Kokernag (58 percent), Dooru (57.90 percent), Srigufwara-Bijbehara (56.02 percent), Shangus-Anantnag (52.94 percent), Anantnag West (45.93 percent) and Anantnag 41.58 percent, Pole said.
In Pulwama district, the CEO said, the Pulwama segment witnessed 50.42 percent polling, followed by Rajpora 48.07 percent, Pampore 44.74 percent and Tral 43.21 percent.
In Shopian district, the Shopian segment recorded a voter turnout of 54.72 percent and Zainapora 52.64 percent.
In Kulgam district, D H Pora recorded a turnout of 68 percent, Kulgam 62.70 percent and Devsar 57.33 percent, Pole said.
He said seven districts of south Kashmir had been traditionally low poll percentage constituencies and in some of the past elections, the percentage had not even crossed the single digit.
Asked about a social media video purportedly showing a policeman losing temper and aiming his gun before being overpowered by his colleagues outside a polling station in Kishtwar, he said the district election officer and the returning officer concerned have taken note and issue was resolved amicably.
PDP and BJP candidates were involved in an argument at the polling station.
Pole expressed hope that the remaining two phases on September 25 and October 1 will also see high polling percentage.
Meanwhile, the election commission expressed satisfaction over the long queues of voters at the polling stations showcasing the entire world, the deep trust and confidence of the people of J&K in the democratic exercise.
The polling was held across 3,276 Polling Stations in the seven districts and 24 special polling stations set up for migrant pandits in Jammu, Udhampur and Delhi.
According to officials, 31.42 percent of the more than 35,000 eligible kashmiri migrant voters exercised their franchise. While 27 percent cast their votes at 19 polling stations in Jammu, 40 percent at four polling stations in Delhi and 30 percent at one polling station in Udhampur.
In each of the seven districts where voting was held in the first phase, the voter participation exceeded the participation during the Lok Sabha 2024 elections, the election commission said in a release.
The performance builds on the trend witnessed during the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir which saw a voter turnout of 58.58 percent at polling stations, highest in the last 35 years.
Voting began at 7 am and proceeded steadily through the day. Men and women, the young and old, some too frail to walk and others patiently waiting their turn, queued up outside polling booths across Kashmir Valley and Jammu.
Security forces fanned out to ensure that there was no trouble. The day was largely without incident except for reports of clashes between political workers in some areas of Bijbehara and D H Pora.
