‘Crisis of credibility in BJP...they’re busy doing push-ups while fuel prices are rising’
There is a crisis of credibility in the BJP and common people feel betrayed by the anarchy unleashed by the party ruling in Rajasthan and at Centre, Congress leader Sachin Pilot said Saturday.
In a scathing attack on the saffron party that completed four years in power at Centre, the Rajasthan Congress chief said women are insecure while farmers, youths and businessmen are dejected and eager to vote the BJP “out of power.”
“The disappointed public is counting the days to the BJP government’s departure,” Pilot said. He said Congress is observing the completion of four years of BJP government as ‘Vishwashghat Diwas (betrayal day).
Pilot and Avinash Pande, AICC general-secretary in-charge of Rajasthan, also released a booklet titled “Betrayal”.
“Someone is doing push-ups and someone is showing fitness (in other ways) but fuel prices are rising,” Pilot said in apparent reference to Union ministers and BJP leaders posting videos of their workouts on social media.
Pilot said state governments can provide relief by cutting the Value Added Tax (VAT) and cess levied on fuel prices.
He said people annoyed with the increasing fuel prices will give a befitting reply to the government in upcoming polls.
Pilot also attacked Rajasthan’s Vasundhara Raje government and claimed that 150 farmers have committed suicide in Rajasthan but neither the chief minister nor her ministers were concerned. “The government has money to spend on installing fountains in the front of bungalows of ministers and on events like Resurgent Rajasthan but not for farmers,” Pilot said, adding that the government was not even giving compensation to the families of the deceased farmers.
He said the state government faces several corruption allegations and alleged that the Raje government reappointed Lokayukta without consulting the Leader of the Opposition and reinstated officers involved in mines scam without the completion of probe.
He said the BJP was facing infighting among its leaders. “In contrast,” Pilot said, “Congress leaders are united and focused on winning the next assembly elections.”
Targeting the Narendra Modi government, the senior Congress leader said, “Centre’s announcements have only been catchphrases and slogans. Smart City, Digital India, Make in India…all proved to be mere deceptions.”
Pilot said the BJP claims that it has brought in a stronger law for women’s security but its own leaders are exploiting women, which exposes the duplicity of the government
JAIPUR: The govt has money to spend on installing fountains in the front of bungalows of ministers and on events like Resurgent Rajasthan but not for farmers..the govt was not even giving relief to the families of the deceased farmers
He said atrocities against the weaker section had increased manifold under BJP rule and forces that are dividing and breaking the society have got a free hand.
Pandey said the government’s flagship schemes were only a sham. He said the economy was faring poorly under the Modi government and all its claims of benefitting farmers were hollow as was obvious from the farm distress across the country.
Pandey said unemployment has increased during the BJP rule. The party cited labour bureau statistics in the booklet to say that the BJP-led Union government created only 4.16 lakh jobs in 2016-17 against Modi’s promise of creating 2 crore jobs per year.
Pande said atrocities against Dalits, minorities and the tribal people “have left them insecure.”
“Women are also insecure while farmers, youths, businessmen are feeling betrayed by the prime minister and the BJP, which made tall promises before coming to power but did nothing in the last four years,” he told reporters.
“We are protesting against the government and will make people aware (about it) everywhere,” he said.