TAASIR :– S M HASSAN –25 Nov
New Delhi-25 Nov.
The Uttar Pradesh unit of Voters Party International staged a protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. During the protest, a memorandum was sent to Rahul Gandhi through Delhi Police, raising a question on behalf of the citizens of the country: Why do you raise the issue of direct cash transfers only during elections and then remain silent for the next five years?
In the memorandum, it was reminded that during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi had promised to provide ₹72,000 annually (₹6,000 per month) under the “Nyay” scheme if elected to power. This amount represented half of the average income of a voter in the country. However, after the elections, there was complete silence on this issue for five years. He did not raised the issue in the parliament to provide ₹6,000 per month to the people. Now in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections too Rahul Gandhi has announced ₹8,500 per month, which is again half the current average income of a voter. Now he is silent.
Through the memorandum, Voters Party International questioned the seriousness of Rahul Gandhi’s intent to provide “economic justice” to the people. In 2011, the Goyal Committee in Parliament had already approved the idea of giving half the average voter income as a “votership right” in its report. This report is still available on the website votership.com. If Rahul Gandhi genuinely believes in ensuring every citizen’s share in the nation’s prosperity by advocating for ₹8,500 per month, he would be the only leader capable of transforming the current pseudo-democracy into a real democracy.
However, the puzzling aspect remains: Why does Rahul Gandhi promise to provide direct cash amount only during election time and stay silent for the next 5 years? Why doesn’t the Congress party fight in Parliament and on the streets to ensure people’s economic justice? Why doesn’t the Congress pressurize the government to adopt this policy? In Congress-ruled states, why hasn’t this initiative of distributing direct cash benefits to citizens started yet? If ensuring direct cash transfer to citizens can boost industry, trade, production, and national development, what stops Congress from implementing it?
While addressing the protestors, speakers highlighted that since Rahul Gandhi’s office does not respond to emails or letters, party workers were left with no alternative but to resort to such protests. They expressed hope that Rahul Gandhi would not disappoint the protesters in this freezing cold and would soon address their questions. This would allow the protestors to return home safely, avoiding illness and fatalities caused by the cold.
The protest was addressed by key leaders, including protest convenor Mr. Sadesh Ali Masih, Delhi State President Mr. Vishal Sahni, Party Secretary General Mr. Shivakant Gorakhpuri, and others like Asaram Gautam, Ramnivas Sharma, Radheshyam Yadav. Hundreds of party workers from Mainpuri, Farrukhabad, Etah, Jaipur, Ghaziabad, and Delhi participated in the protest. The demonstration will continue tomorrow as well.