GUWAHATI: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday promised to restore Special Category status for all the NE states as well as North East Industrial Investment Policy (NEIIP) besides protecting the culture, languages and tradition of indigenous people of the region in the event of Congress party being elected to form the next government in the country.
Addressing an election rally in Dimapur in Nagaland, the Congress President vowed not to allow Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) to be passed under any circumstances as Congress party firmly believed that it was a grave threat to the identity of indigenous people in the region.
Launching an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS, the Congress President asked, “On what basis the BJP-led government had withdrawn the Special Status accorded to the NE states and NEIIP?”
“Because they wanted to transfer huge sum of money meant from Northeast to the people of their choice,” Rahul said adding Congress had provided Special Status and NEIIP to N-E states because these states required it because of their unique challenge and unique geography.
“Dr Manmohan Singh talked of Look East Policy which is in appreciation of the power of the Northeast. The Northeast is the political bridge between the country and India. This policy has the power to revolutionise the economic growth of the region and Congress is committed to this policy,” he said.
He said a Congress government would bring the institution of Planning Commission back and re-orient the banking system for the new entrepreneurs while accusing Narendra Modi government of derailing the economy of the country.
The Congress President accused that Narendra Modi government had provided Rs 3.50 lakh crore money from banks of the country to 15 most powerful people in the country.
“As on date, there is a conflict between two ideologies in the country. That between RRS and Narendra Modi on one side and Congress and other forces on another side,” Rahul Gandhi said while accusing the RSS and Narendra Modi of trying to impose one vision and one idea on the people of India.
“Congress believes that every single individual/state of India has its own culture, beliefs, hopes and way of looking at the world. India is an embodiment of all the different cultures. India is an expression of all its people. Who do they think they are to dictate people on how to live their life. It is their sheer arrogance. Congress will ensure that there is no onslaught on anyone’s culture and way of life,” Rahul Gandhi said.
He stated that Narendra Modi had promised Rs 15 lakh in everyone’s bank account, two crore jobs in five years and right prices for farmers for their produce before getting elected as the PM of the country. “Now all these promises have turned out to be lies and only lies,” Rahul said adding that he won’t set any pre-condition and would stand by the people whether he would be PM or not.
He stated that Congress had not promised Rs 15 lakh per person in the country but would implement NYAY (Rs 6000 per poor person per month) that would be a surgical strike on the poverty in the country