Rahul Gandhi: No Family In India To Have Less Than Rs 1 Lakh Income Annually
Addressing the crowd gathered for Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra”s sixty-second day in Palghar, Maharashtra, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made a bold announcement, promising that under a Congress-led government, no family in India would have an income of less than Rs one lakh per year.
Ahead of the 2024 general elections, Gandhi emphasised the need for marginalised sections of society to have a say in governance and access to the nation”s wealth and resources, which are controlled by the rich minority. He highlighted the Congress party”s commitment to providing Rs one lakh to one woman in every poor family, ensuring no family”s income falls below the specified threshold.
During the public meeting, Gandhi highlighted the importance of recognising women”s contributions, stating that they play a crucial role in shaping the nation”s future by doing multiple shifts – in the office and the household. He also clarified that his promise was not a special favour but their rightful due.
In his speech, he also called for a caste census followed by an economic and financial survey to understand the distribution of wealth and resources across different sections of society after 75 years of independence. He also stated that different institutions and organisations will also be counted to understand the extent of participation of people from different sections of society.
Gandhi pointed out that despite progress, a significant portion of the population, including backward classes (50 percent), Dalits (15 percent), minorities (15 percent), Adivasis (8 percent), and the economically disadvantaged from general castes (5 percent), still lacks representation in decision-making processes. He criticised the current scenario, where control and power rest with a small percentage of the population.
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi”s OBC claim, Gandhi clarified that PM Modi’s caste was included in the OBC category by the BJP government two decades ago. The senior Congress leader also stated the importance of the prime minister’s actions towards the OBC community, which continues to remain marginalised.
In a plea, Gandhi urged the majority of the population to realise their potential and demand accountability regarding the nation”s wealth and resources. He asked the crowd to forget the mindset of “aadhi roti khao, Prabhu ka gunn gao aur bhooke marr jao (eat half the roti, sing praises of God, and die hungry)” and ask themselves questions about the current situation of the country, which will itself change the status quo.
