“Big institutions weakened…People do not have faith in EVMs”: Priyanka Gandhi at Jaipur rally

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], April 6 (ANI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged on Saturday that the country’s big institutions that were formed to strengthen democracy have been weakened and today the situation is such that people do not have faith in the electronic voting machine.

She also targeted the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government for unemployment at its peak and queried what they had done to remove unemployment?

She was speaking at a public rally in Jaipur after the party launched its election manifesto in the presence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Priyanka Gandhi attacked the BJP, saying, “Today, unemployment is at its peak. What has the Modi-led BJP government done to remove unemployment?…They made promises but did not fulfil them.”

“They brought the Agniveer scheme, which broke the hopes of people…Papers are getting leaked in every state…Farmers are protesting on the streets but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not ready to listen to them…,” the Congress leader said.

During her address, the Congress leader said, “The votes that you are going to cast will save the democracy of the country. You must be wondering how our democracy is in danger. It is because the big institutions that have been formed to strengthen democracy are getting weakened; they are (being) misused. Today, the situation is that people do not even have faith in EVM…”.

She referred to the election manifesto of the party as the voice of the nation.

“I am very happy and proud that after becoming a member of the Rajya Sabha, my mother Sonia Gandhi has come to your state (Rajasthan),” she said.

“Yesterday, we released our manifesto. We have named our manifesto ‘Nyay Patra’. This manifesto is not just a list of announcements that we will forget after the elections, but this is the voice of the nation that wants justice…,” the Congress leader said.

Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot said that this Lok Sabha election is between two ideologies and decisive for the nation.

“This election is between two ideologies. The central government has weakened our constitutional institutions through policy…,” Pilot said.

“In Chhattisgarh, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi announced this for the first time: if the Congress and INDIA alliance government is formed, they will give a legal guarantee of MSP to the farmers…,” he said.

Earlier, on Friday, the Congress came out with its ‘Nyay Patra’ or manifesto for the seven-phased Lok Sabha elections, guaranteeing, among others, a minimum support price (MSP) to farmers on their produce as per the Swaminathan Commission report.

The Congress manifesto was compiled after carrying out nationwide consultations and receiving thousands of suggestions via email and on the portal ‘Awaaz Bharat Ki’, according to party sources.

The manifesto focuses on ‘Paanch Nyay’ or five pillars of justice, including ‘Yuva Nyay’, ‘Naari Nyay’, ‘Kisaan Nyay’, ‘Shramik Nyay’ and ‘Hissedari Nyay’ as well as the guarantees made by it to the people as part of its poll promises for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Rahul’s promise of a nationwide caste survey also features prominently in the list of poll pledges, with the party stating that it will conduct a nationwide socio-economic and caste census to enumerate the castes and sub-castes and their socio-economic conditions, if elected, and will bring an amendment to the Constitution to raise the 50 percent cap on reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) met in March and held extensive deliberations on the party’s manifesto.

The Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be held across seven phases, starting April 19. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.