Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday in Chaibasa dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cite one instance when tribal land taken for industry had been returned, and charmed Dhanbad with his humility at a roadshow later.

Campaigning for Congress’s Singhbhum Lok Sabha candidate Geeta Koda before a crowd of 20,000 in the scorching Tuesday afternoon in Chaibasa, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi there reminding people of Bofors and promised no one would be able to tamper with the Adivasi’s right over water and land, Rahul accused Modi of taking away tribal land.

Geeta is pitched against state BJP chief Laxman Gilua, which makes the Singhbhum (ST) seat a prestige issue for both national parties.

“When Modiji comes to Jharkhand the next time then (ask him to) cite one example of tribal land taken for industry that has been returned to tribals,” Rahul said.

Rahul said the BJP government had never returned tribal land taken by industrialists even if no industry could be set up in five years. “In Gujarat, Adivasi land has been given to corporate entities, pushing tribals to poverty. In Chhattisgarh, Tatas acquired the land of tribals during BJP regime. In five years they failed to establish any factory there. But the Congress CM (Bhupesh Bhagel) decided to return the land back to tribals of Bastar.”

Taking a dig at Modi claims of protecting tribal rights over jal (water), jungle (forest) and jameen (land), Rahul said, “Congress had brought in the land acquisition law and had constantly opposed the BJP’s move to dilute them in the Parliament in the last few years. Jharkhand government’s move to tweak tenancy land laws was met with protest by Congress and gathbandhan (Opposition alliance) members forcing them to step back.”

Rahul said their proposed NYAY or minimum guarantee scheme of Rs 72,000 a year would act as a “surgical strike” in eradicating poverty. “If poor people have money, their purchasing capacity would help the overall economy revive,” he said.

He said 22 lakh government posts were lying vacant, which would be filled up if his party came to power.

He accused Modi of insulting the MGNREGA, the flagship scheme of the UPA government that guaranteed employment to the poor. “You (Modi) said in Parliament that the Congress made people dig holes. In reality, the scheme provided jobs to lakhs and crores of people. You should respect the poor.”

Rahul and Geeta apart, JMM executive president Hemant Soren, Congress state chief Ajoy Kumar, JVM general secretary Bandhu Tirkey, RJD state chief Gautam Sagar Rana also spoke at the rally.

Spontaneous support

Dhanbad: Over 15,000 people from all walks of life came for a glimpse of Rahul Gandhi during his 45-minute roadshow from 4.30pm in support of Congress candidate Kirti Azad.

Crowds jostled from Matkuria checkpost to Birsa Munda Chowk in Bank More. Slogans of Rahul Gandhi zindabad and chowkidar chor hai rent the air, people stretched out to shake hands with a smiling Rahul, waved flags.

State Congress spokesperson Rajesh Thakur said the BJP tried everything to affect Rahul’s roadshow by bringing in cabinet ministers on Tuesday, but “they (BJP) must have realised that this rally was a huge, spontaneous success”. He added, “We will defeat the BJP (P.N. Singh) by a huge margin in Dhanbad.”

Rahul waves at the crowd in Dhanbad (Gautam Dey)