Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited Rajasthan ahead of the November 25 assembly elections and expressed her concern over the rising inflation, emphasising that the economic strain has become so pronounced that women are apprehensive about managing their expenses during the festive season.
During her campaign in Rajasthan’s Sagwara, Dungarpur district, Priyanka Gandhi recounted her visit to Madhya Pradesh, “Women in Madhya Pradesh shared their worries about festival-related expenditures. They highlighted the challenges of cooking, hosting guests, purchasing household items, lighting diyas, fulfilling children’s requests for firecrackers, and buying new clothes”.
Priyanka underscored the pervasive concern among women regarding how to navigate these financial responsibilities.
Addressing the nationwide frustration with inflation, Priyanka mentioned the initiation of ‘Mehangai Rahat’ camps by states to assist people in coping with rising prices. She asserted that these camps have become essential due to the central government’s failure to control inflation.
“The entire country is fed up with inflation. You must have seen that during Dhanteras when you had to buy something for your household, inflation has risen to such an extent. If the states had not started ‘Mehangai Rahat’ camps, how could you have managed? The situation is such that since the Centre is not controlling inflation, the states are running inflation camps to help you,” the senior Congress leader said.
Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of undermining and privatising major factories, Priyanka claimed that this has led to a decline in employment opportunities, pushing people to seek jobs in the private sector. She said, “The Bharatiya Janata Party has weakened all big factories and PSUs and slowly given them to its friends and industrialists. They were a source of employment. Today everyone is seeking employment in the private sector.”
Speaking about the efforts of the Congress government to provide employment opportunities in the rural sector, Priyanka said, “The Congress government wants people to get employment in their villages. This leads to strengthening the village’s economy.”
She also talked about the farmers’ distress saying, “Today, farmers are suffering. Inflation is high, GST is applicable on all items, prices of petrol, diesel are high, GST is applicable on tractors as well.” Priyanka said that in Rajasthan, lakhs of farmers were given farm loan waivers up to 14,000 crores.
Speaking about former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Priyanka said, “My grandmother Indira Ji used to say that it is the culture of our country that all religions and ideologies, cultures must be respected.”
“Today 40 years have passed since she passed away….But the country remembers her even today. This is because she has treated the entire country like his family and kept them close to her heart,” she added.
During this rally, CM Ashok Gehlot also launched a scathing attack on PM Modi, and said, “PM Modi’s gamble of Bajrang Bali did not work in Karnataka. God did not approve of his words. God understood that he was speaking empty words, and when losing the elections, he remembered Bajrang Bali. The BJP had made a big issue of insulting Bajrang Bali against the Congress in the Karnataka Assembly elections. PM Modi also consistently mentioned it in his speeches. However, when the results came out, the BJP’s gamble backfired, and Congress achieved a significant victory. Meanwhile, in Chittorgarh, he praised the schemes being implemented by the Rajasthan government. He said that the state’s schemes are becoming an example today. People are getting significant relief.” He claimed that once again, Congress is going to form its government in Rajasthan.
