Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took a dig at Bharatiya Janata Party saying regional parties of Mizoram are instruments for the saffron party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to enter the state but his party can never pave way for BJP to enter the state. The Congress MP said different states in the North East have been facing attacks from BJP and RSS.
"Both the parties ZPM (Zoram People’s Movement) and MNF (Mizo National Front) are instruments for BJP and RSS to enter the state (Mizoram). Congress party can never be an instrument to enter (state) because we are ideologically completely against the BJP," Gandhi said as he addressed a press conference in Aizawl.
"Different states in the northeast are being attacked from the BJP and RSS, your religious foundation, languages are being attacked by the idea of RSS," he said, adding: "RSS believes India should be ruled one ideology and one organisation and that is really what we are fighting again."
"Mizoram should not be governed directly from Delhi."
Gandhi hailed the party's healthcare schemes in Rajasthan, social security programs in Karnataka, and "pro-Kisan policies" in Chhattisgarh as "succesfull". "Our goal is to expand these effective programs to the rest of India when we come to power in Delhi," he added.
If elected to power in Mizoram, the Congress would provide an old age pension of Rs 2,000 per month, gas cylinder at Rs 750, and economic empowerment for entrepreneurs.
"Unemployment among the youth is a major reason for the drug menace in Mizoram. We will focus on providing employment opportunities to the youth of Mizoram," he said.
The Wayanad MP reached Mizoram on Monday where he udertook a padyatra in Aizawl. "I had a nice walk through Aizawl yesterday, where a large number of people came out with a similar spirit as Bharat Jodo," he said.