Congress manifesto seeks "to end assault on Assam": Rahul Gandhi

GUWAHATI: Rahul Gandhi, while releasing the Congress party's manifesto for the ensuing Assembly elections in Assam, today said that it seeks to "stop the attack on Assam."

"In India, there is an attack on different languages and cultures are under attack. The PM says that the country should be uniform. However, we say that there should be varied cultures, identities, and ways of thought," Gandhi said during a programme held at the Congress headquarter here.

Even though the manifesto has the symbol of Assam, Rahul Gandhi said, "it represents the voices of Assam."

"In the past five years, the BJP government has implemented various schemes that have endangered the culture, land and identity of the people of Assam. The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 has emerged as a threat to the language, culture and history of Assam. Congress is committed towards protecting the unique language, culture, history and overall social, economic and political well-being of every citizen in Assam," the Congress wrote in the manifesto, attributing it as a quote to Mr. Gandhi.

"Thousands of Congress workers and leaders made this manifesto after consulting many common men and women -- including farmers and labourers -- of Assam. This manifesto promises that the history, language, and culture will be protected at all costs."

Gaurav Gogoi, the chairman of the manifesto committee of Assam Congress, said that through its manifesto the party has sought to address the

This time around, Gogoi said, the party has reached out to the grassroots. "We talked to the autorickshaw drivers, the farmers, women, etc, and asked each of these classes what they expect from us," he added.

Recalling the Congress' "Assam Bachao Ahok" (come save Assam) journey, which saw the party's leaders travel to all the corners of the state, Jitendra Singh said that the "manifesto respresents the voice of the people."