Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday said if the party is voted to power in Karnataka, it will waive farmers’ loans within 10 days. He also promised food processing plants for the benefit of farmers in the state.
Earlier in the day, Bharatiya Janata Party’s chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa released the party’s manifesto, which promised to waive crop loans up to Rs 1 lakh if voted to power in the Karnataka Assembly elections.
Speaking at an election rally in Karnataka’s Kalgi village in Kalaburagi district, Gandhi attacked the central government for rising crime against women. “Earlier, the government’s slogan was ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’. Now it is ‘Beti Bachao BJP MLAs se’,” he said, according to The Indian Express. He also called out Prime Minister Narendra Modi for keeping mum when Dalits are assaulted.
Gandhi said that Modi was trying to get the “corrupt Reddy brothers into the Assembly”. “We will protest against it,” he said, according to NDTV. “Come what may, we will not let the Reddy brothers get a place in the Karnataka Assembly.” Two brothers of mining baron G Janardhana Reddy – Karunakara Reddy and Somashekara Reddy – have got BJP tickets for the upcoming elections.
Gandhi also targeted BJP President Amit Shah for his son’s business dealings. “While businesses in India are having a difficult time, the firm owned by the son of the BJP president turned Rs 50,000 into Rs 80 crore,” he said. He was referring to Jay Shah’s firm Temple Enterprise’s revenues growing exponentially in the year after Modi was elected the prime minister.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!