BJP will stop Cong's welfare schemes in Rajasthan, help billionaires: Rahul Gandhi

Jaipur, Nov 16 (PTI) The BJP will stop welfare schemes being run by the Congress government in Rajasthan if they come to power and they will help billionaires, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday as he addressed three back-to-back rallies in the state that goes to polls on November 25.

He addressed rallies in Taranagar of Churu district, Nohar of Hanumangarh district and Sadulshahar in Sri Ganganagar district.

'If a BJP government is formed, it will stop schemes being run by the Congress be it the (old) pension scheme, health (insurance scheme), subsidised cylinders or Rs 10,000 annual assistance for women and it will again help billionaires,' Gandhi told his first public meeting of the day in Taranagar in support of party candidate Narendra Budhania.

But if the Congress is voted back to power in the state, the poor, farmers and small traders will benefit, he said. 'Farmers' loans will be waived off. They will be helped, small traders will benefit. This is for you to decide. Do you want Adani's government or do you want the government of farmers, labourers, youth?' Gandhi said.

He also took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his poll 'guarantees'. 'Modi's guarantee means a guarantee for Adani whereas the Congress means a government of farmers, labourers, and youths. This is the difference. You have to decide,' he told the gathering.

He said the Congress transfers money into the pockets of the poor whereas the BJP puts it in the pockets of Adani.

He alleged the BJP helps Adani who uses it to buy companies abroad, whereas the Congress transfers money into the pockets of farmers. 'Adani has got all the work in the country. Roads, cement plants, airports, ports all belong to Adani. Earlier Adani was at 600th position in the list of richest people in the world, but Modiji took his friend to the second place. This is the truth,' he alleged.

Gandhi has often attacked Prime Minister Modi and BJP-led central government, accusing them of helping the Adani group, a charge vehemently denied by the ruling dispensation and the business conglomerate.

Gandhi said PM Modi has never been seen with the poor, labourer and farmer. 'Have you seen Modi ji with any farmer, labourer or small shopkeeper in the last 10 years? He will only be seen going to America in an airplane and hugging the president there. Will be seen hand in hand with Adani like 'best friends',' he said.

He further said, 'He will not be seen with farmers, labourers and unemployed people, because Modiji considers these people stupid.' Later, in a public meeting at Nohar, Gandhi said the Congress government will start the work for caste census as soon as it comes to power at the Centre.

'The Congress party will conduct a caste survey in Rajasthan and when our government comes at the Centre, I am giving you a guarantee that we will start a caste census the day the Congress party government is formed,' he said, promising rights and benefits to OBCs proportionate to their population.

In Sadulshahar of Sriganganagar district, he said, 'What is the population of OBCs in this country? No one can say and there is a reason. There's a conspiracy. They do not want to tell you about your the real population. The OBC population in this country is at least 50 per cent.' Gandhi said that he had raised the question of caste census in Parliament and asked the prime minister to reveal the number of OBCs in this country.

'You (PM Modi) call yourself an OBC, tell me how many OBCs are there in this country? Modi ji's answered there is only one caste in the country and it is poor. If there is no caste in the country, then why does Narendra Modi call himself an OBC?' Gandhi asked.

He also said unemployment went up under the Modi government.

'Every youth wants to work for the country but the policies of the Narendra Modi government have destroyed their energy,' he said.

He said BJP leaders spread hatred whereas the Congress runs 'Mohabbat ki Dukan'.

'Wherever BJP leaders go, they spread hatred. The Congress party cures this. 'Hum Nafrat ke Bazar Me Mohabbat ki Dukan' Kholte hai',' he said.

Hitting out at the crop insurance scheme of the Centre, Gandhi said, 'PM Modi brought an insurance scheme. You people pay the money for this through GST. But when a storm comes, hail falls, farmers suffer losses then the insurance company people say they cannot give you even a single rupee. This is Narendra Modi ji's scheme.' He said demonetisation did not help anyone and during the Covid pandemic when people were dying, PM Modi asked people to switch on the lights of mobile phones and bang 'thali'.

'Inflation is on the rise, unemployment is increasing. Small and medium businesses were hit hard due to demonetisation. Is there anyone here who got any benefit from demonetisation? Did it help to wipe off black money as promised by PM Modi?' he said.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot later shared a photo on X from one of the rallies in which he was seen holding and raising hands of former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot and state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra.

'Hands raised towards the prosperity of Rajasthan,' he wrote with the photo, emphasising on honesty and unity.

The state goes to polls on November 25 and the votes will be counted on December 3. PTI AG SDA TIR TIR