BJP’S growth claims are like a dream running on TV: Rahul
ANOTHER SALVO Gandhi, on his last day of Gujarat tour, questions Centre’s claims of progress
AHMEDABAD: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi kept up his attack on the BJP, saying the Modi government’s claims of development were a “dream” running on television only.
Ahead of the crucial assembly polls in the state, the Congress is looking to deflate the “Gujarat model of progress”, which the BJP showcased in the run-up to 2014 national election that saw chief minister Narendra Modi become Prime Minister.
“The BJP’S development claim is nothing but a dream which is being run on TV. The money to run this dream comes from few industrialists,” the Congress leader said.
Moreover, amid speculations whether Congress is adopting a soft-hindutva approach ahead of the crucial assembly elections in Gujarat, Gandhi concluded his three-day Navsarjan Yatra in the state on Wednesday with visit to two temples.
Gandhi’s entourage also travelled through Godhra city, where the Sabarmati Express was set on fire in 2002 killing 57 karsevkas. But the party had not planned a stop here. Instead, Gandhi participated in a meeting at Tuwa village, some 20km from Godhra, to have discussion on demonetisation and GST with skilled workers, small businessmen and farmers.
The fresh barb from the Congress leader comes a day after he and BJP chief Amit Shah traded charges over corruption and development claims from each others’ home turfs.
Beginning the day with interactions with college students, Gandhi at Chhota Udaipur questioned the government’s claims of progress. The area lacked basic infrastructure, women felt unsafe, there were not enough teachers in schools, he said.
The home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP chief, Gujarat is expected to hold assembly elections in December.
In an attempt to reach out to the masses, he adopted a lot of crowd-engaging activities. While at Chhota Udaipur, Gandhi left the stage and walked around the hall packed with students and encouraged them to ask questions, at Devgadh Baria, he danced with a tribal group. At Limkheda, he was seen sporting embroidered tribal attire.
Gandhi again accused the BJP government of cronyism. “There is a protest going on in Australia against Adani but Gujarat has never seen any protest against Adani,” he said. Protests were held across Australia on Saturday against Indian mining giant Adani’s proposed $16.5-billion Carmichael coal mine project, which has been hit by environmental and financing issues.