Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addresses a public meeting for Haryana Assembly elections, at Assandh, in Karnal district, Thursday, September 26, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
Chandigarh: Top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hit the campaign trail in Haryana attacking the ruling BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of employment and opportunities for youth, as senior leader Kumari Selja returned to electioneering sharing dais with her bete noir and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda.
Rahul's first stop was Assandh where Selja and Hooda were present for the rally followed by a public meeting in Hisar's Barwala. In both the rallies, he highlighted the unemployment issue, claiming that the youth believes there is “no future” for them in Haryana and are going abroad even through illegal means by spending lakhs of rupees.
Referring to his recent interactions with youth from Haryana in the United States, he said they told him that they could not have set up a business and flourished in their home state when asked why they were not doing so with the Rs 30-50 lakh they are spending to go abroad.
Crowd at the public meeting at Assandh, District Karnal, Haryana that saw Rahul Gandhi address issues of unemployment and corruption.
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“The youth told me that they would not get jobs in Haryana. There is no future for them in Haryana. When I told them that they could use the same money they gathered by selling land or taking loans to start a business, they said it was not possible to do business in Haryana. In Karnal, I saw a child screaming at his father during a video call to return home. The Haryana government has finished the state and its youth,” he said.
Rahul alleged that the Prime Minister has “systematically” ended employment in the country. “If a youth is poor and is not the son of a millionaire...all doors are closed for them,” he claimed.
He said farmers in Haryana do not receive loan waivers and MSP is not being provided but loans of Rs 16 lakh crore, belonging to 22 individuals, have been waived off. “Haryana provides food for the whole country, but look at what's happening here,” he said.
Alleging that the Modi-led BJP is working for Adani and Ambani, he said when the Congress and the I.N.D.I.A bloc come to power, they would put the same amount of money in the pockets of the common man, which the Modi government gave to chosen big corporates.
Exuding confidence that the Congress is going to “sweep” the elections, he said he was there not to tell “50 lies” like the Prime Minister who spoke about providing welfare but came up with measures like three black laws on agriculture and demonetisation.
Rahul Gandhi seen here with former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda at the Assandh public meeting.
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“Modi doesn't want to support small businesses and instead wants to bring in Chinese goods to be sold in India. If you check the list of Chinese companies, you will know who their partners are. It is Modi's marketing strategy to benefit the rich,” he said.
“I have been told that the apple business in Jammu and Kashmir has been acquired by Adani. Our entire apple industry is struggling, and Adani has taken over. The same situation exists in Himachal Pradesh, where apples also go to Adani. Farmers here don't get the right price because all the storage facilities belong to Adani. The whole plan was made to benefit only 10-15 wealthy people,” he added.