Won't allow BJP to attack NE's culture, says Rahul Gandhi
TNN | Feb 27, 2019, 15:12 IST
Rahul Gandhi (File Photo)GUWAHATI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi kicked off his Lok Sabha campaign in the northeast with a scathing attack on the Prime Minister and his party.
"Ever since Narendra Modi came to power in 2014 and BJP formed governments in the northeast, BJP and RSS have been attacking the lifestyle, culture, history and language of the people in every northeastern state by trying to impose the Nagpur ideology," Rahul said, referring to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur. "Listen, Chowkidaar and Mohan Bhagwat, Congress will not allow this attack. We will protect the culture and identity of the people of every state to build a united India, living in peace and harmony," he added.
Referring to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Rahul said, "Please do not forget, when you needed us the most, we stood by you and blocked the bill in Rajya Sabha. It's an anti-northeast bill. It's against the culture, language and history of the region. We are with you in this fight." Raising another aspect of the citizenship issue, he added, "Congress will ensure that the name of not a single Indian is excluded from the NRC."
Paying homage to the Pulwama martyr from Assam, Maneswar Basumatari, and hailing IAF for Tuesday's air strike on Balakot warned the BJP-RSS-Narendra Modi combine against making the northeast "unstable".
Touching upon the three issues in recent times that have kept the northeast on the boil - the citizenship issue, the Arunachal protests and the hooch tragedy - Rahul said Congress always "stood by the people of the northeast" and will continue to do so.
"The incidents in Arunachal Pradesh, the Jats fighting with non-Jats in Haryana, people from UP and Bihar being chased in Maharashtra, north-easterners being threatened in Delhi and women being attacked in Bengaluru are examples of the BJP-RSS ideology of hatred," he said, adding, "BJP is trying to burn every state and make the people fight among themselves so that its 15-20 corporate friends, including Anil Ambani, get all the benefits."
Slamming the BJP government for withdrawing the special category status for Assam, Rahul promised to restore it if Congress returns to power. In 2015, after a revamp in the categorization of states, Assam was classified under Hill States and the Northeast States with a resultant change in funding patterns. The Assam government had last year said it lost Rs 8,400 crore because of this.
"Ever since Narendra Modi came to power in 2014 and BJP formed governments in the northeast, BJP and RSS have been attacking the lifestyle, culture, history and language of the people in every northeastern state by trying to impose the Nagpur ideology," Rahul said, referring to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur. "Listen, Chowkidaar and Mohan Bhagwat, Congress will not allow this attack. We will protect the culture and identity of the people of every state to build a united India, living in peace and harmony," he added.
Referring to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Rahul said, "Please do not forget, when you needed us the most, we stood by you and blocked the bill in Rajya Sabha. It's an anti-northeast bill. It's against the culture, language and history of the region. We are with you in this fight." Raising another aspect of the citizenship issue, he added, "Congress will ensure that the name of not a single Indian is excluded from the NRC."
Paying homage to the Pulwama martyr from Assam, Maneswar Basumatari, and hailing IAF for Tuesday's air strike on Balakot warned the BJP-RSS-Narendra Modi combine against making the northeast "unstable".
Touching upon the three issues in recent times that have kept the northeast on the boil - the citizenship issue, the Arunachal protests and the hooch tragedy - Rahul said Congress always "stood by the people of the northeast" and will continue to do so.
"The incidents in Arunachal Pradesh, the Jats fighting with non-Jats in Haryana, people from UP and Bihar being chased in Maharashtra, north-easterners being threatened in Delhi and women being attacked in Bengaluru are examples of the BJP-RSS ideology of hatred," he said, adding, "BJP is trying to burn every state and make the people fight among themselves so that its 15-20 corporate friends, including Anil Ambani, get all the benefits."
Slamming the BJP government for withdrawing the special category status for Assam, Rahul promised to restore it if Congress returns to power. In 2015, after a revamp in the categorization of states, Assam was classified under Hill States and the Northeast States with a resultant change in funding patterns. The Assam government had last year said it lost Rs 8,400 crore because of this.
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