GUWAHATI: Kick-starting the party’s campaign for Lok Sabha election in the Northeast in a massive rally here on Monday afternoon, Congress president Rahul Gandhi fired a broadside at the BJP and RSS over the now lapsed Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB).
Stating that the Northeast was restive today because of the anti-NE CAB and that was the reason for which the Congress ensured that the Bill was not tabled by the ruling BJP in Rajya Sabha.
“The main reason why Northeast today is in boil because of Citizenship Amendment Bill, which is anti-North east. Congress party stopped it in Rajya Sabha. We have stood with you when you needed us. We will also ensure that no Indian will be left out of the updated National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.”
He said that Congress was committed to protect the language, customs, and traditions of the people of the Northeast. He accused that by promising citizenship to illegal immigrants through the Citizenship Amendment Bill, the BJP exposed that it had no intention to execute NRC and implement Assam Accord. He said through the CAB, the BJP wanted to promote its own vote bank politics.
Attacking the RSS, the Congress president said, “In Northeast, there is an attack by RSS on history, language and lifestyle. RSS ideology has destroyed all the North East states”
Referring to the latest hooch tragedy in Assam which claimed over 150 lives, the Congress President massive while addressing the rally at Khanapara Veterinary Science College Playground here said, “Over 150 people have lost their lives in Assam by consuming illicit liquor. The inefficiency and indifference of the BJP government in Assam are costing people their lives. We take this opportunity to remember the families of tea labourers who have lost their lives in the hooch tragedy as well as the CRPF head constable from Assam, Maneshwar Basumatari who was martyred in Pulwama terror attack earlier this month.”
“Narendra Modi had promised hollow promises to tea estates of Assam as well as to tea workers. We will ensure minimum wage to the tea labourers. I have fulfilled all my promises and I will fulfill this too. We introduced White Revolution, Green Revolution, IT Revolution and now Congress party has decided to take another historic step”
The Congress president has promised to re-introduce North East Industrial Policy and open the two closed papers of Hindustan Paper Corporation (HPC) in Assam if the party comes to power after the Lok Sabha polls.
Earlier, immediately after his arrival in the city, the Congress president visited Apollo Hospital here to meet two patients, who sustained injuries during violence that erupted in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday.