Chhattisgarh Assembly polls: Rahul Gandhi promises free treatment facility, ₹10,000 per year for landless labourers

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who is currently in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, Sunday announced free treatment facilities up to ₹10 lakh for the poor if the party retains power in the state.

Addressing an election rally in Rajnandgaon, the Congress MP from Wayanad constituency in Kerala promised to provide ₹10,000 per year to landless rural labourers if the party retains power.

Gandhi said the Congress government is the government of the poor, labourers, farmers, backward classes, tribals and Dalits and it listens to the voice of their hearts.

“You need not speak, we can hear the voice of your hearts. This morning, Baghel ji and I did some work for farmers and labourers and spoke to them. They told us that what the Congress government has done for them in five years, no other government has done ever," PTI quoted the former Congress president as saying.

"During our interaction with farmers and labourers, they told us that ₹7,000 (the amount given under the Rajiv Gandhi Bhoomihin Kisan Nyay Yojna) is less. We held a discussion in the car and decided that it would now be ₹10,000,” he added.

Gandhi said “Five years ago, in a similar meeting, Bhupesh Baghel, I and the senior leaders of the Congress party had made three-four promises to the people of Chhattisgarh. The biggest promise was that the loans of farmers would be waived off... We had also said that the farmers of Chhattisgarh would get ₹2,500 per quintal for paddy...Today, we are providing ₹2,640 per quintal to the farmers in the state...”

Gandhi said, “...There are only two types of government - one that only works for the rich people of the country and the other that works for the farmers, labourers and youth of the country...You have to decide which government you want to elect...”

Caste Census

The senior Congress leader said “PM Modi does not work for the OBC Dalit Adivasi…The day Congress comes to power in Delhi, work on caste census will be started from the same day.”

Similarly, the Congress will start caste census from the first day in Chhattisgarh after the formation of the government. It has started in Karnataka and Rajasthan…After the caste census, a new chapter of the backward people, Dalits and tribals will be written. Historic works will be started for their progress and development,” he added.