Mohali (Pb): A day before the results of the assembly elections in five states, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said people will give a "clear message" and exuded confidence that the BJP will be ousted in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He attacked the BJP government over the issue of unemployment and farmers' dues, saying the Modi dispensation considered farmers a "liability".
"You will see, the elections (in five states) have taken place recently, India will give its message and will give it clearly," the Congress leader said here.
Gandhi was delivering an address after the Associated Journals Limited (AJL) announced the re-launch of Hindi newspaper 'Navjivan'. A commemorative publication to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi was also released on the occasion.
"Main issues are jobs and dues of farmers," he said, adding, "anger is rising in the country".
"The reason for this is that the Centre is not able to give jobs to youth. And this is the central challenge before Narendra Modi," the Congress leader said. "From the land of Punjab, I want to say, be it the 21st century or the 22nd century, this country cannot move ahead without farmers...for jobs and farmers, Congress governments in states and at national level when our government will be formed, will have to work in a new way, with 21st century's strategy and we can do this easily because we listen to the voice of India's public," he said.
"The Congress is fighting to protect institutions and we will win. We will defeat the BJP in the elections and show them their place. But we will have to go ahead. These two issues -- one of jobs and the other one of farmers--will have to be solved," Gandhi said.
The Gandhi scion also claimed that every institution in the country was under attack. "Today every institution in the country is being attacked. Supreme Court judges say they are not being allowed to work. A few days back, an Army general made a comment about Modi ji that he had made the Army his personal asset and used it for political gains. The Election Commission is under pressure...every institution in the country is under attack," he alleged.
Lt Gen (retd) D S Hooda had recently remarked that it would have been better if the 2016 surgical strikes were carried out secretly, alleging that the prime minister used the military action for "political capital".