Middle class won't be burdened to fund 'Nyay', says Rahul

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday said his party's manifesto was an expression of the people of India and ruled out burdening the middle class to fund the anti-poverty scheme Nyunatam Aay Yojana (Nyay).

The opposition party has said that if voted to power, it will give Rs 72,000 per year as minimum income to poor families, benefiting around 25 crore people, a move Gandhi has termed a 'surgical strike' on poverty.

Interacting with students here, Gandhi said he did not like making sweeping statements.

"The manifesto has been prepared after consultations with all stakeholders. The middle class will not be taxed and income tax will not be increased to implement the Nyay scheme where Rs 72,000 will be deposited in bank accounts of poor people every year if the party is voted to power," he said.

The Nyay minimum income guarantee scheme is estimated to cost Rs 3.26 lakh crore to the national exchequer. The BJP, which has criticised the scheme, has sought to know how it will be funded.

During the free-wheeling interaction, moderated by RJ Malishka and actor Subodh Bhave, Gandhi answered a number of questions, ranging from politics, his personal life and his bond with sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Asked about Priyanka's twitter post calling him courageous, Gandhi replied, "I am persistent, I stand up for people who are weak."
On being asked who should take credit for the Balakot air strike, Gandhi said, "the (Indian) Air Force should take credit. It is Important that people know they can't mess around with India."
When Bhave, who has acted in biopics on Lokmanya Tilak and Bal Gandharv, said he wants to do a biopic on him and asked who should be the heroine, Gandhi quipped, "Unfortunately, I am wedded to my work."