Rahul Gandhi's Jharkhand pitch: 'Jal, Jungle, Jameen' will be returned to the people

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused the BJP of grabbing land from poor and the farmers in states under its rule, asserting Jharkhands 'jal, jungle and jammen' (water, forest and land) would be returned to people if the opposition came to power.

He said the Congress-JMM-RJD alliance in the state will waive farm loan up to Rs 2 lakh and provide compensation for land acquired from them by force, if it formed government in Jharkhand. He promised to the farmers a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 2,500 for paddy similar to Chhatisgarh.

Gandhi addressed two poll rallies during the day in the state. The first one was in Badkagaon in Hazaribagh district and later in Ranchi.

"The Congress government in Chhatisgarh procures paddy at Rs 2,500 MSP. Farmers in Jharkhand will also get the same rate if the party and its allies win the elections, he said while appealing to the people to vote for Congress candidate Amba Sao from Badkagaon assembly seat."

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Expressing concern over "rising incidents of rape cases" in the country, Gandhi claimed women were not feeling "secured".

In separate poll rally in Ranchi in support of Congress candidates, Gandhi said, "Assembly elections in Jharkhand are underway. It is a fight between two ideologies...the Congress and the JMM work for connecting people, including dalits, poor, tribals and farmers while they (BJP) are promoting hatred and divisiveness."

Promising the people of Jharkhand that their water, land and forest will be protected if the opposition coalition of Congress/JMM/RJD was voted to power, Gandhi cited Chhatisgarh government as an example where land had been taken back from a private company and returned to owners as the company failed to set up a factory within the five-year stipulated time.

"Government vacancies (in Jharkhand) will be filled up," he said and promised to give 27 per cent reservation to the other backward class (OBC) if the opposition alliance was voted to power.

Out of five-phase election for 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, two rounds of voting have been completed and the rest will take place by December 20. Counting will take place on December 23.

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