Rahul outlines five key promises before Nashik farmers

Rahul Gandhi, along with key allies like Sharad Pawar and Sanjay Raut, promises farm loan waivers, legal MSP, insurance scheme reform, and more if opposition INDIA alliance wins power.

Mumbai: Addressing a farmers’ convention held at Chandwad in Nashik on Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi outlined five major promises that he said the opposition INDIA alliance would implement if voted to power in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.

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Flanked by key allies including NCP founder Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, Gandhi said their grouping would waive off farm loans, implement legal MSP (minimum support price) for farm produce, restructure insurance schemes so they would help farmers instead of fattening the pockets of industrialists, use import and export policy to improve the health of the farming sector and keep farmers away from the purview of goods and services tax (GST).

“If billionaires’ debts worth ₹16 lakh crore can be written off, then loans of farmers can also be waived off,” Gandhi said amidst applause from farmers gathered at the venue.

The Congress leader, who was in Nashik as part of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, said if voted to power, the opposition would institute legal MSP for farmers as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission. He also promised to restructure insurance schemes to ensure farmers were adequately compensated for crop loss.

“You are not getting the insurance money over crop damage. The insurance scheme will be restructured as its objective should be to secure you and not the industrialists,” he said.

The Wayanad MP criticised farmers being brought under the ambit of GST, saying, “We will study it and see how farmers can again be exempted from GST again. The import and export policy will also be used to secure farmers and the farming sector.”

Gandhi said that only a person who understood the grief and pain of farmers would be able to help them. “The most important thing is that my doors will always be opened for farmers. You will see a government that will work to secure your rights and which is ready to hear you out,” he said.

Taking to the dais after him, NCP founder Sharad Pawar referred to the Narendra Modi-led government as “anti-farmer” and urged people to oust them from power.

“This government is against the farmers, the labourers, and is inviting inflation. It is our duty to remove this government. We have to be united and do whatever it requires to throw them out of power,” Pawar said addressing the rally.

He also praised Gandhi, saying he was doing the important work of creating a public opinion against the BJP-led government and people should support him to bring about positive change.