Priyanka slams BJP over Modi’s promises made in last 10 years
DEHRADUN/HALDWANI: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said people should be aware of whether the party implemented the changes in past 10 years that were promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While addressing an election rally in Ramnagar area of Nainital district in favour of the party candidates from three Lok Sabha seats in Kumaon, Priyanka Gandhi also questioned BJP for blaming Congress “when they were in power for the last 10 years”.
She said, “What you are seeing is not the truth, understand your reality and the leaders in front of you who talk about religion but use religion to get votes. PM Modi is on TV, hoardings and other mediums. You have seen him for 10 years. But you have to see whether there has been a change in your life in 10 years. Think about what you want…. You will get lost in hoardings. The biggest attack has been on awareness. You are seeing only one thing, appreciation of Modi. Be aware, wake up…we are political leaders and we have nothing to worry about when it comes to our livelihood. But what will happen to you? Will you keep hearing the same things for five years, hoping something will change? You want to struggle for jobs, keep hearing rhetoric on Devbhoomi, tourism promotion and so on.”
Priyanka Gandhi said Modi keeps talking about Nari Shakti (Women power), but the women reservation bill (reservation to women in parliament and state assemblies) will not be implemented for five to six years. “What happened in the Pauri receptionist murder case, who sheltered the accused in the case…people of the state should ask Modi when he is here. When farmers were agitating in Delhi, where was PM Modi? Only ahead of the UP polls, they scrapped the farm laws”, she said
She said PM Modi thinks he is the only honest person, and all others are corrupt. “Two CMs have been jailed, and many others have been booked. They are busy in using agencies to force and break parties and their leaders. They sent money to break the government in Himachal Pradeh. When they are busy with all this, they don’t have time for issues like employment. What happened to the promise of providing two crore jobs and ₹15 lakh each in accounts of people? Now it is your responsibility, to choose a government of people, for whom your issues are most important so that you can say with pride that it is my government. When you go to voters think about yourself, about your children…”
She further said when she was coming to Uttarakhand, she heard PM Modi’s speech made in Rishikesh two days ago. “First I thought it is a five-year-old speech; PM Modi was talking about the same issues, every time it will be Modi government... for how many years we will have to bear this,” she said
Priyanka Gandhi said whenever Modi makes his speeches here, he always refers to Uttarakhand as Devbhoomi, the land of Gods. “During the elections in Himachal Pradesh last year, there too he said it is Devbhoomi. But a few months later, when Himachal Pradesh was struck by a disaster, the Modi government didn’t come forward to provide any relief to people there, it was the state Congress government that provided relief to people.”
She said in Hinduism, the proof of faith lies in sacrifice and martyrdom. “I have seen sacrifice when I saw the body of my father. Even when they insult us, we remain silent as we have faith in this country, we love this country, not for just remaining in power.”
Lashing at the Modi-led government for bringing the Agniveer scheme, the Congress leader said it broke the dreams and expectations of the youth who have been working very hard for recruitment in the army. “Modi keeps talking about promoting tourism in the state, but the reality is Uttarakhand has been grappling with unemployment, inflation, recruitment scams, paper leak scams… Why always blame Congress when they have been in power for the last ten years.”
Talking about hill migration, she said a large number of talented youth from the state are working in other states and in other countries as there are no jobs here.
“I asked a migrant in Delhi whether he visits his home here. He said he visits home and doesn’t want to come back to Delhi, but he has to earn a livelihood for his family. Abroad I met a chef from Uttarakhand, who told me that many people are working there as chefs as there are not many employment avenues for them in the state.”
She said “I tell Congress leaders to talk about pressing issues, as ten years have passed and people have seen what has been done and what has not been done. These elections have to be fought on pressing issues like unemployment, corruption, recruitment scams.”
She also accused the Modiled BJP government of handing assets of the country- ports, airports, and cold storages- to some big businessmen like Adani to stay in power. “Cold storages in Himachal Pradesh have been given to Adani and now he decides the price of apples,” she said.
Talking about Congress’ Nyaya Patra, she said that the party will scrap the Agniveer scheme, give ₹ 1 lakh annually to every youth for apprenticeship till he/she does not get employment, every woman from a poor family will be given ₹ 1 lakh annually to run the household.
“We will also develop the barren valleys in Uttarakhand like we are doing in Himachal Pradesh.”
While refuting allegations made by Priyanka Gandhi, state BJP in-charge Manveer Singh Chouhan said, “People of the country and the whole world knows how Modi is ushering in a paradigm change in India and ensuring holistic development and welfare of people in all spheres. She is making such baseless statements as she knows what they have done in 70 years and what Modi has done. And people who already know all this, will once again reject them in the polls.”