The Congress leader chides Prime Minister Modi over feeling insulted so frequently
SONBARSA/NEW DELHI – Calling for change, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday urged the people of Bihar to vote the Mahagathbandhan to power to usher in an era of progress and overall development, particularly in education and employment opportunities.
She also alleged that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) was a huge conspiracy not only aimed at disenfranchising people, but also at denying them the benefits of various government welfare schemes. She said 65 lakh voters in Bihar had been disenfranchised under this conspiracy.
Addressing a large public rally in Sonbarsa, she also listed several public welfare schemes which the Mahagathbandhan government will implement in Bihar, similar to those successfully introduced by Congress governments in Karnataka and Telangana.
The Congress leader said that under the NDA rule, Bihar does not have any voice. She said even Chief Minister Nitish Kumar does not have any say in key decisions, as the state is being run on the directions from Delhi.
She also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for frequently complaining about being “insulted” by the opposition. She suggested that he should set up a “Ministry of Insults”, which will keep and maintain a record of all such “insults”. This, she noted, will save the precious time of the prime minister, which he can instead devote to addressing the country’s real issues.
She suggested that the proposed “ministry” can also maintain records of the insults hurled at her family every day by the ruling party — enough, she quipped, to fill an entire library.
She expressed deep concern over the decline in the education system in Bihar, which she said was once among the best. She recalled that Bihar had produced IAS, IPS and IFS officers who served the country in different capacities. However, she lamented that the system had now been destroyed with paper leaks becoming the new normal.
Referring to Prime Minister Modi asking people of Bihar what they wanted and how much money they needed, she questioned him as to why now after 20 years. “Why such offers are made only at the time of elections?” she asked.
She outlined the welfare schemes that will be initiated in the state once the Mahagathbandhan government takes over. She announced that each family across Bihar will be provided one regular government job.
She said the fee for various competitive examinations for recruitment will be scrapped. Besides, the government will also provide free travel facilities to candidates to take their competitive exams.
She said in order to fill lakhs of vacancies, a job calendar will be prepared well in advance which will specifically mention the dates of examinations, results, and appointments. Special reservation will also be provided to residents of Bihar.
To improve the condition of education and employment, 2,000-acre educational and industrial clusters will be set up, she said, adding that aspiring entrepreneurs from economically weaker backgrounds will be provided financial assistance of Rs two lakh for starting their own businesses.
Residential English Model Schools will be set up across the state. ‘Jeevika Didis’ will be provided with a regular government job with a monthly salary of Rs 30,000.
Old-age and widow pensions will be increased to Rs 1,500 per month with a provision for increasing it by Rs 200 every year.
Under ‘Mai Bahin’ Yojana, Rs 2,000 will be provided to women every month.
Referring to the NDA govt’s Rs 10,000 provided to women, she said that while this is a one-time election bribe, the Mahagathbandhan scheme will be a permanent welfare measure. She said such schemes were already being implemented in the Congress-ruled states like Telangana and Karnataka.
Landless people will be provided land for houses and the Old Pension Scheme will be restored. All contractual employees will be regularised.
Two hundred units of electricity will also be provided free of cost. Besides, farmers will be guaranteed the MSP for crops.
