Rahul quotes Yashwant to attack Modi, Jaitley policies
SURENDRANAGAR/RAJKOT: Sitting on a cot under a small tent, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi asked a gathered group of women in Chobari village of Jasdan taluka in Rajokt district, “Tell me why are there are hardly any women in RSS?’’.
Gandhi on third and last day of his yatra on Wednesday, struck up several such conversations with small groups at various places and interacted with large crowds at others. In response to his question in Jasdan, a woman replied, “RSS wants women to remain within the four walls of the house’’. Through the day, he raised issues of crippling democracy, lack of job opportunities under the current NDA regime.
Citing senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha’s comments in a newspaper article published on Wednesday, he said, “Senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha has written this in a newspaper article…that Modiji and Jaitlelyji has destroyed Indian economy,” he said. These are not my words, but of a senior BJP leader.”
He further added, “everyone knows that economy has been destroyed…but all are quite out of fear.’’ Gandhi termed demonetisation a means to convert black money into white. “Modiji said that black money will no more be part of the economy and the poor will get that money. Did you get a single penny? While medium and small scale industries are struggling, big industries and businessmen get all the benefits,” he said.
At the same time, he promised to waive off farmer loans, new jobs and women empowerment if the Congress was voted to power in the BJP-ruled state.
He promised to replace Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “fake MoU model” for Gujarat against that of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
He started the last day of his Navsarjan Yatra by climbing 650 steps to reach the hilltop temple of Chamunda Ma at Chotila where he joined several other devotees offering prayers. He ended the day by offering prayers at Shree Khodaldham, which is the seat of the influential Levua Patel’s deity Khodal Ma, before addressing a rally in Jetpur town. As Leuva Patidars gathered in large number to welcome Gandhi at Shree Khodaldham, the Congress leader had closed door meeting with temple trustees Naresh Patel and Paresh Gajera.
In the run up to the 2012 assembly elections, former CM Keshubhai Patel had had launched a new party from there to take on the Modi government. He also mentioned the case of liquor baron Vijay Mallya. "Government called Vijay Mallya for talks who had taken ₹9,000 crore loan. The government has converted ₹1.3 lakh crore loan of big industries into NPA. But the Congress will waive off farmers’ loan.” Wrapping up first phase of his statewide yatra, he said “Your ancestors brought green revolution, white revolution . But what has the NDA done?...”