Rahul amps up populist pitch in Punjab, promises to waive farm loans

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday targeted the Narendra Modi-led central government while campaigning in Punjab, claiming that the BJP has waived the ₹16 lakh crore loan of the PM’s 22 capitalist friends, while he is reluctant to give any relief to poor farmers.

“Had Modi thought of farmers, he could have waived their loans for 24 years with this amount,” Rahul said while addressing a rally in support of Congress candidate and state party chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring at Dakha town in Ludhiana district.

He claimed that the Congress-led UPA government had waived farm loans amounting to ₹70,000 crore during its decade-long tenure from 2004. “Once the Congress comes to power, it will form a Kisan Karja Mafi Aayog that will deal with farm loans and we will waive loans even twice if needed. We will ensure legal guarantee of MSP,” he said.

Before starting his speech, Rahul paid tributes to slain Punjabi singer-turned-politician Shubhdeep Singh, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, on his second death anniversary. Moosewala’s father Balkaur Singh was present even as a life-size poster of the singer was put up on the stage. Moosewala was the Congress candidate from Mansa in the 2022 assembly elections but lost to AAP’s Vijay Singla. The 28-year-old was shot dead on May 29, 2002, in Mansa.

Rahul talked about the drug issue of Punjab but stopped short of blaming INDIA bloc partner Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that is ruling the state for the problem. He said the authorities should be proactive and take strict action to curb the problem.

“For the first time, any party and their leaders have said that they will change and scrap the Constitution if they win the election,” he said targeting the BJP. Holding a copy of the Constitution, he said it was not a book but the voice of the poor. The BJP wants to finish the Constitution, alleged the Congress leader.

Former MLA Simarjeet Singh Bains, who is out on bail in a rape case, along with his brother and former MLA Balwinder Singh Bains were present on the stage along with other Congress leaders.