Rahul Gandhi with mediapersons at Aizawl on Tuesday.
Credit: Congress, Mizoram
With the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and Opposition Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) harping on the Mizo nationalism ahead of Assembly elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday attacked the two strong regional parties calling them entry points of BJP and RSS in the Christian-majority state.
Gandhi said as the BJP and RSS are trying to impose its ideology in the entire country including the Northeast, it is using the regional parties like MNF and ZPM as it can not win elections in the Christian-majority state like Mizoram.
"They know that if they come directly, Mizos will understand and reject them. So they are using parties like MNF and ZPM, who are allowing BJP to infiltrate into Mizoram. Keep that in mind while voting and make sure that you don't vote for someone who will harm your religion, culture, language and unique identity," Rahul said at a public meeting at Lunglei in South Mizoram.
Gandhi on Monday took out a roadshow in Aizawl, met party workers and representatives of several organisations as part of his two-day visit to the poll-bound state.
Talking to reporters at Aizawl on Tuesday morning, Rahul said that the religion and culture of the Northeast are under severe attack from BJP and RSS and the MNF and ZPM are being used as "instruments" of that attack. "MNF is already working with the BJP and RSS and ZPM is no different."
Polling for the 40-member Assembly is scheduled on November 7. The elections in the small hilly state are being projected as a straight fight between the MNF and ZPM. Congress was unseated by the MNF in 2018 elections and was relegated to the third spot with just five seats. But Gandhi exuded confidence that Congress would bounce back this time. ZPM had won eight seats in 2018 polls.
"I am quite confident that Congress will form government in Mizoram. The real question is do you want RSS to control Mizoram? Yes or no? And RSS has two ways of controlling Mizoram. One is the ZPM and other is MNF. The Congress is ideologically opposed to the RSS, we will fight them tooth and nail in any corner of the country, wherever they are. They understand that, we also understand that. And people of Mizoram understand that very clearly," Rahul Gandhi said.
MNF is an ally of NDA but BJP is not part of Mizoram government. In fact, BJP has decided to contest in all 40 constituencies.
Manipur violence:
Gandhi said the violence in neighbouring Manipur was manifestation of BJP's divisive politics and also slammed PM Narendra Modi for not visiting the state even as many died and thousands were rendered displaced. Both MNF and ZPM claim that Manipur violence would help them in the elections as they stood strongly behind the Kuki-Zo communities and provided shelters to those displaced by the violence. Kukis share ethnic ties with the Mizos.
Rahul also tried to hit the emotional chord of the Mizos recollecting his visit to Mizoram with his father and former PM Rajiv Gandhi when he was 16. "Congress and my father has an emotional relation with Mizoram."
I.N.D.I.A. block to win:
Stating that the I.N.D.I.A. bloc parties now represent 60 percent of the country, Rahul claimed that they would dislodge Narendra Modi government in the 2024 general elections. He exuded confidence that Congress would register victory in the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana as well. Talking about the health insurance scheme upto Rs. 25 lakh in Rajasthan, Rs. 2,500 per quintal of rice as minimum support price given to farmers in Chhattisgarh and the social security schemes given by Congress government in Karnataka, Rahul promised similar social security initiatives for Mizoram too after coming to power. "In Mizoram, we will give old age pension of Rs. 2,000 per month and LPG cylinders at Rs. 750. We plan to provide support to entrepreneurs, to weaker sections to transform their lives financially with banking and technical support." Urging voters to look at the record of Congress, Rahul said, "We are the party that brought Constitution. We are the party that defended the right of the weaker sections."