Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday promised the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will not be implemented in Assam if the grand old party is voted to power in the state in the upcoming assembly elections.
Gandhi, who was interacting with the students of Lahowal College in the state’s Dibrugarh district, said it will be ensured in the Assam Assembly that the CAA is not implemented in the state.
“In the other states, we will stop it (CAA implementation) after we (Congress) come to power at the national level,” PTI quoted the Congress leader as saying.
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Responding to a poser on whether the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is mixing religion and politics, Gandhi said “no religion has asked to use hatred” and accused the saffron party of spreading “hatred to divide the society”.
“Where is it written in Hinduism that there should be hatred? It is BJP that spreads hatred to divide society and wherever they do it, the Congress goes there to promote love, brotherhood and harmony,” he said.
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The Congress leader also used the occasion to reach out to the youth while taking a dig at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Gandhi said there is a force in Nagpur (RSS Headquarters) that is trying to control the entire country.
Asserting there is a direct relation between hatred and unemployment, the Congress leader said: “If hatred increases, unemployment will increase and vice versa. Can two sections of the society fighting against each other do business together? For business and employment opportunities to thrive, there should be harmony and brotherhood.”
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Lashing out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, Gandhi reiterated his earlier accusation that the ruling BJP was working for only two big businessmen and not in the interest of the people.
“Assam's resources and wealth must go into the pockets of the Assamese. The state must be managed in the interest of the people here,” he said.
When asked to comment on the rising unemployment and the Congress’ plans to tackle it, Gandhi said the party’s priority after coming to power will be to first fill up vacant posts and focus on sectors like health and education for creating new jobs.
The Congress leader further said “education should not be commercialised as it is a fundamental right”
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“We are against the commercialisation of education. There are certain places for privatisation but not in education and health where the public sector has a role. We are fighting against BJP on this,” he added when questioned about the privatisation of education.
Gandhi, who is currently on a two-day visit to Assam, also took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“What can you give him during floods? So why will he visit you? But now you can give him votes, so he is visiting you…You can ensure that he does not come at all and stays at home by your vote. You have to save India's democracy as you are the future of democracy. More youths should enter politics and actively participate in fighting against the wrongs,” he said.