Strife started in states after NDA came to power: Rahul Gandhi

Jagdalpur, Jul 29: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today hit out at the NDA government, alleging that strife started in several states, including Jammu and Kashmir, after it came to power in May 2014.

He claimed that the prevailing unrest in parts of the country under its rule was benefiting the RSS, China and Pakistan.

"After the NDA came to power in Delhi, conflicts started in several states. There was peace in Jammu and Kashmir. Terrorism there had nearly come to an end during the UPA rule," he alleged.

"We held talks with people from various sections... our idea was to reach out to people, provide jobs to the youth. We conducted Panchayati Raj elections," he said.

Gandhi was interacting with tribal students during a programme, 'Amcho Hak' (our rights), organised by the National Students Union of India here in Chhattisgarh.

"When we came to power in 2004, we gradually controlled terrorism in J&K and it nearly came to an end. But now unrest is everywhere in the country--Srinagar, Sikkim and Bastar," the Amethi MP alleged.

"Peace has vanished from Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu. Who's getting benefit from the conflict in Kashmir? It's the RSS, Pakistan and China," the Congress leader alleged.

Questioning who was fuelling civilian unrest in Kashmir, he said "you all have seen how the people of Jammu and Kashmir were living peacefully" when the Congress-led UPA was in power at the Centre.

"Situation worsened after the BJP came to power there in coalition with the PDP. Similarly, in Chhattisgarh, the RSS and industrialists are getting benefits of conflict in Bastar," he claimed.

He said Chhattisgarh was a rich state with water, forests and minerals and alleged that "they want to snatch your resources and they can't do that till there is strife".

"That's why they are spreading discord, they want to make you fight among yourselves. Adivasis will never benefit from industrialisation," Gandhi claimed.

The Congress MP alleged that the RSS wanted Dalits, adivasis and OBCs to remain weak and oppressed so that they could rule over them.

"Wherever they go they trigger fight (aag lagate hai). In Haryana, they started a fight between Jats and non-Jats... between Hindus and Muslims in Kashmir, Bengali and non-Bengali in Assam...wherever they go they make people fight," he alleged.

Contrary to this, the Congress believes in peace, he said, adding his party wants to protect the rights of tribals.

"We want you (tribals) to get benefit of your water, forests and minerals not anyone else. We want to protect your rights. Why is prime minister Modi trying to snatch your lands? So that he can give your lands, mines to industrialists," he claimed.

He said in all this, the tribals were suffering and it was causing them losses.