Rahul promises farm loan waiver, jobs to youth in Rajasthan

Going all out to woo farmers and the youth in poll-bound Rajasthan, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Monday promised to waive farm loans within 10 days if his party was voted to power in the state and said the Congress chief minister would work 18 hours a day to help youngsters get jobs.

Speaking at election rallies in different parts of the state, he also described the Congress workers as "sher" (tiger) and "babbar sher" (lion) and said they had to fight at the polling booth, but gently, unlike the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers.

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Gandhi, who began his day by visiting the Ajmer dargah, the Pushkar lake and the Brahma temple, said the two leaders had become arrogant after winning elections, did not hear the voice of the people, made false promises and broke people's trust, adding that now they were left with nothing and therefore, spreading hatred and anger.

"You (people) are going to make the Congress party's government in the state. Within 10 days of government formation, the Congress will waive farm loans in the state. You can call and ask any farmer in Punjab and Karnataka, where I made the same promise and our governments fulfilled that," he said, addressing the first rally in Jaisalmer's Pokhran area.

Gandhi asserted that he and other Congress leaders like Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot will speak the truth and make promises only if they could fulfil those.

"The bond between you and me should be that of transparency. Many things can be done by being truthful," he said.

"The chief minister of the Congress will work for 18 hours a day and will be engaged in getting the youth jobs. We will put public money in improving the facilities in government hospitals, schools and setting up universities. The vacant posts will be filled and the youth will be given loans to start their own business, factories," he said, while alleging that the Modi government only worked for the top 15 industrialists in the country.

Gandhi said the free medicines scheme introduced by the previous Congress government in the state will be restarted after his party formed the government.

He also attacked the prime minister over the Rafale deal, demonetisation, GST and other issues.

Gandhi said when demonetisation destroyed the informal sector, those who had to stand in queues in front of banks were farmers, labourers, small-scale businessmen etc., but those who had black money got it changed to white in the air-conditioned chambers of the banks with the help of Modi.

He said Modi was left with nothing to speak and thus, he was lying, but the people had understood him well.

Gandhi also accused the prime minister of insulting the youth, farmers, labourers of the country as well as their parents and grandparents with his statement from the Red Fort that the "elephant was sleeping".

"He meant that the country was sleeping before he became the prime minister. This is an insult to your parents and grandparents, who put their efforts and labour and contributed in taking the country to the present stage," he said in Jodhpur.

Targeting Raje, Gandhi said in an advertisement, she had talked about a school in Bharatpur and said it had fans, furniture, drinking water, playground etc., but when journalists went there, they found that the school had nothing -- no fan, no drinking water.

The Congress chief told the party workers not to speak ill about the prime minister or the chief minister.

"You are the soldiers of the Congress and not RSS or BJP workers. Fight with manners. Do not use any bad word for anyone, be it the PM or the CM. It is their work to abuse, not ours. We will speak good of them," he said.

"You hear their speeches and compare with ours. Listen to the way Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot are addressing them. They are addressing them as Modiji, Vasundharaji with manners. On the other hand, they are spreading hatred and anger," Gandhi said.

In Jalore, the Congress chief said the December 7 Assembly election was a fight for the future of the people of Rajasthan.

"This is the fight for your future. You will not get false promises from this stage," he said.

"They (BJP) took people's money and gave it to the top 15 industrialists, which should have gone to hospitals, schools, for employment etc. Tell me one thing, why all these names are Modi -- Neerav Modi, Lalit Modi, Narendra Modi -- all are one. Wherever you see, they are the same names. Someone took Rs 10,000 crore, someone Rs 35,000 crore and one gave Rs 30,000 crore to his friend," Gandhi alleged. He also raised questions on the bullet train project.

Gandhi also accused the BJP of practising divisive politics by alleging that Modi had created two India -- one for the rich and the other for the poor -- and added that the Congress wanted one India.

Gandhi began his election meetings after offering prayers at the Ajmer dargah, the Pushkar lake and the Brahma temple.

He presented a "chadar", along with state Congress chief Pilot and former chief minister Gehlot, at the dargah, where the traditional "khadim" of his family made him perform the "ziyarat".

Gandhi was honoured by the president of the Anjuman committee, Moin Chisty. The Nazim of the Dargah committee, Shakil Ahmed, also honoured the Congress chief.

Gandhi then visited the Pushkar sarovar and the Brahma temple and offered prayers there.