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Rahul slams BJP in Mizoram

Last Updated 22 November 2018, 11:09 IST

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that the BJP and the RSS are trying to make inroads into Mizoram to impose their ideology on the unique culture, history and ethnicity of the Northeastern state.

He also promised that the Congress would defend such an 'onslaught' in the Christian-majority state.

"The BJP and the RSS want to crush local aspirations, history and culture of all other states and want to impose the RSS ideology. They do not want different states to look different. But the future of Mizoram can not be decided in Nagpur (RSS headquarters), but in Mizoram only," Rahul said while addressing a rally in Aizawl at a ground of 3rd Mizoram Armed Police batallion.

Many in Aizawl believe that Rahul's repeated emphasis on the 'threat' from the RSS and the BJP was part of the party's strategy to continuously attack the BJP on religious lines, in the Christian-majority state and push for a third term of the Lal Thanhawla-led Congress government.

The BJP, on the other hand released its 'Vision Document' with a promise to provide rice at Rs 1 per kg to all BPL families, a trans-boundary highway from Myanmar border to Bangladesh border via Aizawl to promote trade, a football stadium in each district, beside others.

BJP chief Amit Shah, who also addressed a rally in Vairangte, about 80 km west, promised that the BJP would bring more development to the state such as better roads, new power projects, better hospitals, while claiming that the Congress government failed to improve Mizoram's condition in the past 10 years of its power.

Rahul Gandhi countered the BJP's allegation saying the state registered 14% growth rate, which is highest in the country, horticulture grew by 45% and new land use policy benefited 1.68-lakh villagers in the past 10 years.

The 40-member Mizoram Assembly goes for polls on November 28.

The BJP, at present has no MLA in the state, has fielded 39 candidates and hopes to make inroads in the fight between the ruling Congress and the regional Mizo National Front (MNF).

The Congress is trying to counter the MNF saying the latter is in a 'secret understanding' with the 'Hindu BJP' to form a coalition government after the polls.

"By working with the BJP, the MNF is damaging Mizo people and giving a key to the BJP to come to Mizoram to destroy its culture, language and unique history and the process to bring more prosperity to Mizoram," Rahul said.

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(Published 20 November 2018, 15:51 IST)

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