Gujarat Congress takes aim at BJP: ‘Not atmanirbhar… PM Modi has made India dependent on America’

Congress leaders also claimed that the party would start 2027 Assembly election preparations early, with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi at the helm.

Former MLA Mahesh Vasava, who recently joined the Congress, addressed the gathering and said, “We have been struggling for water, forests and land for years. The BJP has been in power in Gujarat for the past 32 years and at the Centre for the past eleven years… needs to be uprooted and thrown away. It is apparently an RSS-led government that talks about abolishing the constitution. The tribal belt from Umargam to Ambaji is still waiting for water-both irrigation and drinking. Our struggle will continue. In 2027, Gandhinagar will be ruled by Congress.”

Congress MLA Anant Patel gave a call to march towards the Gujarat Assembly seeking answers to the injustice meted out to the community and said, “Today, we should march against injustice, unfair treatment of tribal areas and tribals by the ruling party. Government officials are not ready to meet us whenever we approach them with our issues and our lands have been encroached upon.”

The Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee will struggle until the Bhupendra Patel-led BJP government is removed from power in Gujarat, reiterated Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Chavda adding that fear, injustice and hardship have increased in the lives of the common people under the rule of the BJP in Gujarat for the past three decades.

“Today, the state is facing the bitter truth hidden behind the claims of development. The people of Gujarat gave a majority to the government with trust and hope, but today people are deprived of basic needs like employment, agriculture, education, health and security. In every village, corruption worth crores of rupees is seen in MNREGA and Nal Se Jal schemes. BJP leaders have converted Nal Se Jal Scheme into Nal Se Dhan Scheme. Tribal youth are suffering from unemployment, farmers are drowning in debt, women’s safety is at risk. BJP government bulldozed the houses of the middle-poor class,” Chavda alleged.

Assuring the gathering that the Congress would continue fighting for people’s rights, Chavda said, “Rahul Gandhi’s warriors will fight for you on the streets and in the Assembly. If necessary, we will also bear lathi and bullets.”
Raising the issues of tribals, the Legislative Assembly Congress Party leader Dr Tushar Chaudhary said that people who have considered the forest as their home for generations, who earn their living from the forest, are today being prevented from entering the forest. “One engine increases prices and the other commits corruption. If there has been real development, why do 3.65 crore people of the state have to be given free food grains?”, he questioned further citing the incidents of several district collectors being investigated and charged with corruption.

Congress MLA Shailesh Parmar challenged the BJP and said that if it has really given good governance for 30 years, then try conducting the upcoming local body elections with ballot papers. He alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party was the ‘B team’ of the BJP.

Banaskantha MP Geniben Thakor, in his address, said that the Aakrosh movement started from Banaskantha and till now the the party has completed a journey of around 5,000 km Geniben added, “We have gone from village to village and heard the real problems of the people. The public outcry is now at its peak.”
She raised the issue of alcohol, drugs and the “inaction” of the administrative system.