At Jharkhand, PM speaks of Assam, Rahul promises farm loan waiver

While, Prime Minister Narendra Modi allayed fears of the people of the northeast over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, asserting that the language and culture of northeast will be safeguarded during his speech in Dhanbad, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi promised to waive farm loan up to ₹2 lakh in Jharkhand in his poll rally in Rajmahal.

Addressing a poll meeting here, in support of JMM candidate Ketubbudin Sheikh, Gandhi said farmers would receive a minimum support price (MSP) of ₹2,500 for every quintal of paddy, if the Congress-JMM-RJD coalition wins majority.

“The first priority of the opposition alliance would be to waive farm loans up to ₹2 lakh. The Congress governments in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh procure paddy at ₹2,500 MSP. Farmers in Jharkhand will also get the same MSP rate, if we win the election,” he stated.

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Rajmahal is going to polls on December 20, during the final phase of Jharkhand elections.

Meanwhile, Modi addressing a poll rally charged the Congress with spreading misinformation in the northeast over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill he asserted, “I want to assure every state, every tribal society in the northeast and the eastern part of the country including Assam that preserving their culture is our priority. Today, I appeal to my brothers and sisters of Assam to have faith in Modi. No harm will come to them and their tradition, culture and way of living.”

The PM asserted that the bill would have no impact on the country’s citizens and those saying otherwise are lying to mislead the common people. “When Taliban attacks were on the rise in Afghanistan, dozens of Christian families came to India, fearing for their lives. But the Congress government did not support them. Today, when the BJP is trying to bring a law to grant citizenship to millions of such oppressed and exploited, Dalit, Sikh, Christian families, the Congress is opposing the move,” he said.

Slamming the erstwhile Congress governments, Modi said the party had always avoided taking tough decisions on matters of national interest. “If the Congress and its allies gave anything to Dhanbad, Deoghar and Jharkhand, it is dust, smoke and deception. People were deprived of basic facilities,” he said.

The prime minister contended that he never cared about vote bank politics and always believed in working for the welfare of people.

Polling will be held in Dhanbad on December 16 in the fourth phase of Jharkhand polls.