BJP looting land, forest, water: Rahul Gandhi at 'save Constitution' rally in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, July 11 (IANS) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday targeted the BJP, alleging that the ruling party has launched an attack on the Constitution of India, which protects the Dalits, tribals and poor people of the country.

While addressing a gathering at ‘Samvidhan Bachao Samavesh’ rally, Gandhi said the state government in Odisha was "looting the land, forest, water which belong to the tribals without giving adequate compensation to them".

“This is an attack against the Constitution that protects the poor, farmers, and labourers. The Constitution of India mentions that this nation does not only belong to the few billionaires but to every citizen residing here,” said Gandhi.

The Congress leader further added that the farmers in Odisha are not getting money under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana following damages to their crops during any natural disaster. He said that development should not only be for three per cent of the population but for the common people of Odisha and the country.

Referring to the controversy surrounding the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, the senior Congress leader stated, “As the election was hijacked in Maharashtra, a similar attempt is being made to steal the elections in Bihar as well. The Election Commission of India has started a new conspiracy for the hijacking of the elections. The ECI is not doing its duty but working like an organ of the BJP.”

He alleged that one lakh new voters were added in Maharashtra during elections, and no one knows who they were.

Gandhi accused the ECI of neither supplying the voter list nor the videography, as demanded by the Congress party and its allies.

He asserted that the INDIA bloc will not allow the hijacking of elections in Bihar as it happened in Maharashtra.

Targeting the state BJP government, Gandhi said Odisha is the BJP’s model and the BJP is giving away all resources of the state to five to six big corporate houses.

He spoke during the rally about meeting delegations of farmers, women and listening to their issues. He criticised the state government for not implementing PESA in Odisha.

Gandhi alleged that tribals are being evicted from their lands without their consent. He said that when the Congress party comes to power, it will implement the PESA Act in Odisha.

Highlighting rising cases of violence against women in the state, Gandhi accused that over 40,000 women were missing in Odisha and no one knows till now about their whereabouts.

He further stated that on average, 15 women are being raped each day in Odisha, and the government is indifferent to it.

Gandhi claimed that the caste census conducted in Telangana has yielded excellent results, enabling the Reddy government to know the actual population of SC, STs, Backward Castes, and the wealth they possess.

“I want to say this to the people of Odisha that we have to conduct a caste census here so we could ascertain the number of Dalit, SC/STs and Backward and General caste people in Odisha. Because we want everyone should get a share in governance, economy and development. Currently, the members of Backward Castes, Dalits and tribals are not present in government, corporate bureaucracy,” said Rahul Gandhi.

He also thanked the Odisha Drivers’ Mahasangha for supporting to Congress party for the public rally on Friday. He said the state government should fulfil the genuine demands of the drivers who have been protesting for the last four days.

--IANS

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