Chikkamagaluru, April 26 (IANS): AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday stated that her family is facing a period of struggle in the contemporary period and made an appeal to the people to stand with the Congress party.
On her second day of tour, she continued her poignant attack on BJP.
Addressing a poll rally in Sringeri of Chikkamagaluru district, Priyanka Gandhi stated, "In 1978, when Indira ji (late ex-PM Indira Gandhi, her grandmother) came to Chikkmagaluru, it was a period of struggle for her.
In that tough time, people of Chikkamagaluru stood with her. Today also there is a period of struggle for Rahul ji (Rahul Gandhi) and my family. We have full confidence that people of the country will stand with us," she said.
"I have full hope that you will make Congress win in Karnataka. Our country, your state is at such a turning point that if we don't understand that there is a need for such politics which doesn't make people fight, which works for all of us, which makes all of us progress, then the country and the state may undergo heavy loss," she maintained.
Priyanka Gandhi further explained, "Today morning, I went to Mylari Hotel in Mysuru. Its owner told me that his father had started that work. He taught me how to make Dosa. I also met his daughter who works in Infosys. Looking to the future while preserving traditions, culture and civilisation... that is the identity of Karnataka."
When big ministers say 'don't look at your candidates, hand over Karnataka to PM Modi'. Why? Can the sons and daughters of Basavanna ji, Narayan Guru ji not run the state on their own? Priyanka Gandhi questioned.
"Six months ago, I went abroad to drop my daughter off at her college. There I met a youth from Bengaluru who was working in an IT company. Both of us felt proud; there was Karnataka's self-respect, self-confidence and pride on his face. I felt proud that my country's youth has progressed so much, my father's dream has been fulfilled," she stated.
"I feel proud of Karnataka, your hard work, honesty. But I also feel sad for you. The government, which has been in Karnataka for the last 3.5 years, has broken your trust. It was formed on the basis of greed; it was formed by stealing MLAs, by breaking Congress-JD (S) government. BJP government has broken every promise. It had said that it'll give jobs, double farmers' income, reduce prices but did nothing," Priyanka Gandhi charged.
Youths have not been given employment; 2.5 lakh government posts are lying vacant but they are not getting them. Rate of every post has been fixed, there is a scam in every exam for recruitment. Contractors are committing suicides. The Contractors' Association and School Management Association wrote letters to the PM about corruption but they didn't get any reply, she said.
MLA's son was caught with Rs 8 crore cash but no action was taken, rather his MLA father took out a parade to show that they can do anything and nobody can touch them. Even Covid patients were looted; nothing was spared, not even eggs meant for school children, she alleged.
"Who made a cooperative like Nandini? You made it by your hard work. Earlier, milk used to be distributed in schools. The Congress government had brought 'Ksheer Bhagya' and 'Ksheer Dhare' schemes. Now, BJP says that less milk is being produced because they want 'Nandini' to merge with Gujarat's Amul. Earning of more than 1 crore people is at stake but they don't care for it," Priyanka Gandhi charged.
In Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, farmers' debt has been waived off. It has the highest MSP in Chhattisgarh. In Himachal Pradesh, implementation of Old Pension Scheme has begun as per our promise, she claimed.