Solan (HP), Oct 25: Joining the Himachal assembly poll campaign, Rahul Gandhi today played to the hilt the Congress' ‘aam admi' plank by accusing BJP of blocking legislations benefiting the people at large and stressed that UPA had taken strict action against corruption.
Launching a counter-attack on the ruling party in the hill state at his first election rally here, the Congress general secretary alleged that BJP was stalling legislations brought by UPA only for the sake of opposing them while the common man continued to suffer.
“Whatever bills we bring in Parliament, the BJP opposes them all. They don't talk, they just oppose it.... Their thought is to stop us so that we do not come to power again in 2014, just as we won in 2004 and 2009.... Because they know if UPA government gives the Right to Food and Land Bill they can never win elections,” Gandhi said.
“We brought the Land Acquisition Bill to benefit those whose land is acquired, for them to get the right price for their land, but the BJP stopped the Bill in the Parliamentary Committee. They want to stretch it long. They don't want the Bill,” he said.
Charging the BJP with not being interested in welfare of common man, Gandhi said, “They are not bothered..., but who will lose. It is the poor farmer who will lose. Those people will lose whose land is taken away,” he said, listing legislations like Right to Food, Land Acquisition, MNREGA, loan waiver and RTI.
Lashing out at the BJP for raising the issue of corruption, Gandhi said, “BJP talks about corruption, but here they are taking away the land of the poor and giving it to the rich.”
Maintaining that the UPA has taken strict action against corruption, he said, “Wherever we see corruption, we take strict action. Many of our ministers have been jailed.”
Urging people to support the Congress and help bring its government back in Himachal Pradesh, he said whereever the Congress runs a government it is of the “aam aadmi”, the poor and the downtrodden.
