Praja Front prioritises farmers, jobs, health

​Hyderabad: AICC president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that the People’s Front, after coming to power, would focus on farmers, unemployed youth, education and health. Addressing a joint press conference here on the last day of campaign with Front leaders -- Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu, Telangana Jana Samithi president M Kodandaram, CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy, Balladeer Gaddar and PCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Rahul Gandhi said that the crop loan waiver was a beginning in addressing the issues of farmers.

Rahul Gandhi said that the farmers were considered a liability so far, but the Congress considers them as assets. He said that they have to be treated with respect. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi could write of debts of Rs 3.5 lakh crore of 15 to 17 industrialists and businessmen, why not the farmers be extended the same benefit? Crisis in the farm sector is a national issue, he said. He said that the People's Front government would strive to transform the lives of the farmers of Telangana. Technology would be upgraded; food processing units would be set up and the implementation of Land Acquisition Act would be given a thrust.

Rahul said that he did not like to call the schemes intended for the farmers as sops. He said that they would protect the future of the farmers. He said that the jobs for youths would be created by transforming the agriculture sector. Farms would be connected to rest of the country and to international markets.

He said that strengths of each district would be studied and the steps to create jobs at the district level would be taken with a state level strategy. He said that significant amount of money would be put in the healthcare and education sector. Universities, colleges and schools would be established. Good and quality education would be provided in government schools. Healthcare would be brought within the reach of people. 

Rahul alleged that the Chief Minister of Telangana has committed a crime by supporting the demonetisation as it has destroyed the informal economy, small businesses that provide job opportunities to the youngsters.  He said that the NDA government has implemented demonetisation to allow conversion of black money into white. He wanted to know why the Telangana Chief Minister has supported a complicated GST which contained five tiers. 

He said that the Chief Minister should have told the Centre that it was not advisable to implement such a tax structure. He said the reason why Chandrasekhar Rao supported the GST was to protect his corrupt activities.

Replying to a question on alliance with Telugu Desam, with which the Congress fought for decades, Rahul said that there would be no problem in this area. He said that the cadres need not to be concerned. He has seen the bonhomie among the Congress, Telugu Desam and Communist workers at the meeting being addressed by him in on Wednesday morning.

He said that when Naidu met him, he had said that there was a need to protect the nation from the attacks of Modi. Rahul said that several institutions like Supreme Court and the CBI are under attack. Justice Lohia case was an example of attack on the judicial system. The CBI director was changed as he wanted to probe into the Rafale deal.

Rahul said that all those who love the idea of India, would stand together to fight with Modi. He said that the like-minded people have come together to protect the institutions. In a reply to a question on who would be the Chief Minister, if Front forms the government, Rahul said that the first priority for them would be to dislodge the TRS government and then the CM issue would be taken up. In his opening remarks, Rahul said that the TRS government has betrayed the aspirations of Telangana people and the Front is excited to make the dreams of Telangana people a reality. 

He said that while the youngsters have pinned a lot of hopes on the government, “corruption, corruption and more corruption” has taken place. Telugu Desam Party national president N Chandrababu Naidu said that dreams of Telangana were not fulfilled. He said that the state has a good eco-system which has been spoiled. He said that the state could have been made number one in the country.

They have come together to correct the things. He said that all the people of the state have to be benefitted under the People's Front. He told the voters not to go on a holiday from December 7 as there were holidays before and after the polling date and to vote to the Front. TJS president Kodandaram thanked the Congress and Telugu Desam for allowing to have a committee to oversee the implementation of the common minimum programme. He said that they have an agenda for the people.