Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra: Gandhi’s pitch aimed at tribals, women, farmers to win back party’s former glory

Gandhi, since he set foot in Maharashtra on March 12, has been focusing on three classes namely tribals, women and farmers. A senior leader said that tribals have been “with the Congress since independence. We need to assure them that only Congress can extend justice to them. Rahul Gandhi is connecting with them again. Regarding women, Maharashtra is a progressive state and has always empowered women. Thirdly, farmers in the state are in tremendous distress. So this is why we are trying to address these three key sections.”

NCP-SP leader Sharad Pawar & Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at Nashik rally Thursday. (Express Photo)

In Nandurbar, Gandhi accused the BJP-led Centre of attempting to deprive tribals of ownership rights on jal, jungle and jameen (water, forest and land). “If any particular district in the country is found to have a tribal population which is more than 50 per cent, our government will bring it under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. We will also initiate a caste census, and at the same time, will carry out an economic survey in the country to help us understand the representation of each caste in our population,” he said.

A day later at Dhule, Gandhi’s campaign focused on women where he unveiled five Mahila Nyay Guarantees. “We will not conduct any survey, we will directly deposit Rs 1 lakh annually in the bank accounts of poor women. It will be called Mahalakshmi Guarantee,” he announced. He also said their government will provide 50 per cent reservation for women in the Center’s new recruitment drives, hostels for working women under Savitribai Phule Chhatrawas scheme, Adhikar Maitri scheme to educate women about their rights and assist in legal battles etc.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. (Express Photo)

On Thursday, the Gandhi scion shared the stage with Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar at Chandwad in Nashik district and addressed the farmers’ rally. Nasik in north Maharashtra is presently an epicenter for farmers’ discontent, especially over the Center’s policy on onion export. Rahul also announced a legal status to MSP, restructuring of the PM Fasal Bima Yojana, work on farm loan waiver and ensuring that farmers are excluded from the ambit of Goods and Services Tax (GST).

At the press conference in Nashik, Congress legislative party leader Balasaheb Thorat said that Maharashtra “has always been an important state for Congress. The guarantees given by Narendra Modi lead to inequality. Our guarantees are to give justice to the people of this country. Rahul Gandhi is giving guarantees to farmers, workers, tribals, women and youth, and they will be fulfilled.”