BJP, RSS created atmosphere of fear, hatred in country: Rahul Gandhi at Pathankot rally

PTI, Jan 19, 2023, 3:51 PM IST

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the BJP and RSS on Thursday, accusing them of creating an atmosphere of hatred, violence and fear in the country.

Addressing a rally here on the last day of Bharat Jodo Yatra’s Punjab-leg, he alleged that the BJP was making one religion fight against another, one caste against another and one language against another.

“They create fear. All of their plans (policies) cause fear to someone or something,” he alleged.

Pointing towards the policies of the previous UPA government, Gandhi said it brought MGNREGA, waived farm loans, urban renewal mission, green revolution, white revolution.

“Whatever we do is to wipe out fear. And whatever they do they (BJP) do is to spread fear.

“Look at their policies — farmers get up at 4 am in the morning and they toil hard daily and feed the nation. Farmers do not want anything in return, they only want respect,” he said..

He targeted the Centre over the now-repealed three agri laws and said these created fear in the minds of farmers.

“But what did BJP do for them — they brought black farm laws. These laws created fear among farmers,” he said.

Speaking about Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, the Congress leader claimed that farmers were not getting compensation for their crop damage because of the vagaries of weather.

“Not even a single farmer told him that they got insurance compensation when they suffered crop loss due to natural calamities,” he claimed.

He targeted the Centre over Agnipath defence recruitment scheme, saying it has shattered the dreams of those aspiring to join the defence forces.

He said lakhs of youths aspire to join the armed forces.

Targeting the central government over the demonetization and GST, Gandhi said Ludhiana used to be the manufacturing centre of small and medium enterprises and used to compete with China.

Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, MPs Amar Singh, Mohd Saddique, former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, Harish Chaudhary, among others were present at the rally.