Chhattisgarh: Cong will provide free education from KG to PG, says Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that if the Congress retains power in Chhattisgarh, it will provide free education from KG to postgraduation in government schools and colleges.

"We are going to take a major step for you which we call 'KG to PG'. From KG (kindergarten) to PG (post-graduation), free education will be provided in government institutions to students. They will not have to pay a single penny," Rahul Gandhi said at a public rally in poll-bound Chhattisgarh.

He also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of having reneged on his election promises and alleged that the central government works only for businessman Gautam Adani.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi made several promises during the elections but he has yet to fulfil any of them," Rahul Gandhi said at a public rally in poll-bound Chhattisgarh.

"I am not here to make false promises. What we say, we do it. We made the promise of a loan waiver for farmers, but the BJP claimed the promise was impossible to fulfil. They (BJP) only waive off the loan of Adani. After we came to power in Chhattisgarh, the first decision we took was to waive off the loans of the farmers," the Congress leader said.

Rahul Gandhi said that if the Congress comes to power again in the state, the government will waive off farmers' loans again.

"Last elections we made a promise of Rs 2,500 per quintal for paddy and we fulfilled it," he said.

He also alleged that the BJP wants to "snatch" the lands of tribal people.

"We call you (tribals) Adivasi while BJP calls you Vanvasis. The word Adivasi implies that the land belongs to you people. Schemes introduced by the Congress-led government benefit people and contrary to this, BJP's moves are to benefit Adani.

First right on forest, water and land belong to Adivasi, said Gandhi, alleging that they (BJP) wanted to snatch your land, water and forest and hand it over to Adani.

The Congress MP also said that his party wanted people to have the opportunity to learn Hindi along with the local language and English.

"We wanted everyone to learn Hindi along with Chhattisgarhi as well as English, but BJP wanted people to learn only Hindi. BJP does not want you to learn English because they don't want you to become doctors, and engineers and to make progress in life," Rahul Gandhi said.

Earlier in the day, while speaking at a public meeting in Kanker in the state, Rahul Gandhi asserted that Congress will conduct the caste-based census if the party assumes office at the Centre.

"We will conduct the caste-based census as fast as possible. If our government comes to power, the work will begin in two hours. And if our government is formed in Chhattisgarh, then the Chhattisgarh government will conduct the caste-based survey," Rahul Gandhi said.

The first phase of polling for 20 seats in Chhattisgarh will be held on November 7. After the first phase of polling on November 7, the remaining 70 seats in the state will go to polls on November 17.The counting of votes will be done on December 3.

Elections in Chhattisgarh will be contested on 90 assembly seats and both the major contenders in the state, BJP and Congress, have released their final list of all 90 candidates in the state.