In a fiery press event ablaze with rhetoric, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi ignited an assault on Assam's helmsman, Himanta Biswa Sarma in Aizawl on Tuesday. He leveled the explosive charge of Sarma being an Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) puppet in the Northeast, marking the first time Rahul Gandhi has unleashed his rhetorical artillery directly upon the Assam Chief Minister.
With a flourish of words, Rahul Gandhi contended that CM Sarma is, in essence, the RSS's North Eastern maestro, pointing the finger at him for the perceived corrosion of cultural, linguistic, and harmonious facets in Mizoram and its neighboring states. He boldly accused the chief minister of being the chief architect behind the region's religious and cultural turmoil.
This dramatic turn of events follows a succession of verbal barrages from CM Sarma aimed at Rahul Gandhi in recent months, signifying an escalating political duel between these two titans in the Northeastern arena.
Gandhi further went on to say that the Mizo National Front (MNF) has a direct alliance with the BJP and the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), another local party, isn’t merely squaring off against the BJP; it's, in reality, the gateway through which the RSS seeks to infiltrate Mizoram. This, in essence, characterizes the role CM Sarma plays for the BJP, Gandhi opined.
He is not just supporting them, he is orchestrating a strategic maneuver aimed at nothing less than the cultural annihilation of the entire Northeast, Gandhi further added.
Earlier today, Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to the Northeastern state, met with former Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla. Displaying a touch of adventure, the Congress MP hopped onto the backseat of a two-wheeler to reach Thanhawla's residence.
Previously, after partaking in a spirited Padyatra from Chanmari (Aizawl) to Raj Bhawan, Rahul Gandhi shared his thoughts: "The Bharat Jodo Yatra celebrated the idea of India, where the diverse languages, religions, cultures and traditions of our country are respected and protected. The BJP destroyed that idea in Manipur. We will not allow them and MNF to do the same in Mizoram."
As Rahul Gandhi made his presence known in Mizoram, the Congress party unveiled a roster of 39 candidates for the forthcoming Mizoram Assembly elections. Notable selections include Lalsanglura Ralte for Aizawl East-I, Lalsawta for Aizawl West-III (ST), Lalnunmawia Chuaungo for Aizawl North-I (ST), Lalrindika Ralte for Hachhek (ST), Lalhmingthanga Sailo for Dampa (ST), and Lalrinmawia for Aizawl North-II.
Earlier yesterday, during a public meeting in Mizoram's Aizawl, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi unleashed a scathing critique on the ruling BJP government, accusing them of orchestrating economic havoc with demonetization and the Goods and Services Tax (GST). According to him, these policies are not meant to stimulate growth but to annihilate small and medium businesses across the nation.
During a public meeting in Mizoram's capital, Gandhi said, "GST is designed to destroy small and medium businesses, it is designed to weaken farmers of India. All of you know what happened with demonetization, it was a ridiculous idea thought up by the Prime Minister of our country."
The Congress leader also painted a grim picture of the country's economy, suggesting that the recovery has been sluggish at best.Upping the ante, he alleged, “If you want to understand PM's strategy for developing India's economy, it can be summed up in one word 'Adani'. Everything is designed to help one businessman, so that is the state of the nation."
On a different note, Gandhi lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the strife in Manipur, claiming that the BJP had fragmented the once-unified state into two.
He expressed, "Some months ago, I went to Manipur. The idea of Manipur has been destroyed by the BJP. It is no longer a state, but two states. People have been murdered, women have been molested and babies have been killed but the Prime Minister doesn't find it important to travel there."
In a Mizoram assembly comprising 40 members, the Mizo National Front dominated with 26 seats and a vote share of 37.8% in the 2018 polls. The Congress secured five seats, and the BJP clinched one.
Elections are scheduled for Mizoram on November 7, Chhattisgarh on November 7 and November 17, Madhya Pradesh on November 17, Rajasthan on November 25, and Telangana on November 30. The vote count will unfold on December 3 across all the states.
