'I'm not Narendra Modi': Rahul Gandhi tells Jharkhand of taking Tata's land, loan waivers

Addressing a public rally in Rajmahal Assembly constituency in Jharkhand on Thursday, Former Congress president and party's star campaigner Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Land Acquisition Bill. He said, "We bought the Land Acquisition Bill in the Parliament, got it passed in the Parliament. Narendra Modi, in the Opposition, opposed it. I'll explain to you what the Land Acquisition Bill is. Before that bill, land from the poor could be taken away from them within a minute. There was no law about it. The land of the farmer, Adivasis was snatched away if any politician or a businessman wanted so. Wherever we formed the government, we said that we will apply the Bill."

'I am not here to make false promises'

Rahul Gandhi added, "For the first time, a few months back in Chhattisgarh, land from Tata company was taken back and given to farmers. I am not here to make false promises. My name is not Narendra Modi. But I can guarantee you that farmer loans will be waived off." Rahul Gandhi also raised the issue of rising inflation in the country. Rahul said that except Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the whole of India knows about the ever-increasing inflation in the country. Adopting a sarcastic tone, he added that 'PM Modi lives in another world, so he is unaware of this inflation.'

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Voting on 17 seats in the third phase of elections

In the third phase of the assembly elections in Jharkhand on Thursday, voting is going on in 17 assembly seats including the capital Ranchi. Polling will be held for 5 seats out of 17 from 7 am to 5 pm, while the remaining 12 seats will be voted at 3 pm.
The seats where votes are being cast in the third phase elections are Koderma, Barkatha, Barhi, Barkagaon, Ramgarh, Mandu, Hazaribagh, Simaria (SC), Dhanwar, Gomia, Bermo, Ichagarh, Silli, Khizri (ST), Ranchi, Hatia and Kanke (SC). An estimated 45.14% of over 56 lakh eligible voters exercised their franchise till 1 pm on Thursday in the third of the five-phase Jharkhand assembly elections in 17 constituencies, officials said. The police said voting is going on peacefully in all the constituencies.

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