Rahul plays Sardar Patel card in Gujarat to woo voters in the Assembly polls

Ahmedabad, Sep 5 (IANS) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday played Sardar Patel card to woo the voters ahead of the Assembly polls.

Taking on the BJP, he raised a pointed question that if the BJP seriously believed in Sardar Patel's ideology, it would never have introduced and passed the anti-farmers' Agriculture laws.

Addressing the party workers during the 'Parivartan Sankalp Sabha' here, Gandhi said: "Throughout his life Sardar Patel fought for farmers, labourers, common man, but the BJP government is acting exactly opposite to his ideology. How can they be called Sardar Patel's followers? They have built the tallest statue of the Sardar but failed to understand his belief, philosophy and ideology."

"Have you ever heard that Sardar Patel had taken permission from the British for protest or agitation?. The BJP claims it believes in Sardar, but in its regime people have to take permission for agitation and protest, which Sardar would never have tolerated. Had he been alive today, he would have asked you to dethrone the BJP that imposes such restrictions.

Talking about the unemployment and price hike, the Congress promised jobs to 10 lakh youths, 300 units power free to general consumers, free power to farmers, gas cylinders at Rs 500, setting up of 3,000 English Medium Schools, and free education to girls. Besides, Rs 4 lakh compensation to the kith and kin of those who died due to Covid.

He also pledged to create an environment in which small and medium scale industries will flourish, as he believes only small and medium industries can create jobs, not mega units.

Gandhi also appealed to Congress workers to stand with people of Gujarat, which are facing heat of inflation, unemployment and harassment at the hands of an arrogant government.

This time the people are in no mood of repeating the ruling party, he asserted, adding that they want to overthrow the BJP from power, but that is possible only if the Congress workers stand with them and help bring back people's government who works for them.