In Dholpur, Rahul attacks Modi’s economic policies
EYE ON POLLS Accuses PM of benefiting top industrialists instead of farmers DHOLPUR:
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his economic and agricultural polices, saying that not a single rupee of farmers’ loan has been waived by the government and the Make In India campaign has “failed” with phones and T-shirts being outsourced from China.
Gandhi said his party “wants phones to be made in India and have a tag of ‘Made in Dholpur’”.
Beginning his 150-km long road show in eastern Rajasthan from Mania in Dholpur district, which shares border with Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, the Congress president attacked the government on a range of issues ranging from the Rafale deal, law and order situation to demonetisation.
Rajasthan goes to polls in December.
Gandhi said the Prime Minister, during the 2014 Lok Sabha election, had said he wanted to be a ‘chowkidar’ but never clarified whose ‘chowkidar’ he wanted to be. “Youth had trusted Modi. He had said he did not wish to become a prime minister but wanted to be a chowkidar. Now people are laughing. He never told that whose chowkidar he wanted to be. They got to know later that Anil Ambani is being protected,” Gandhi charged at the first public meeting held as part of the road show.
He alleged that Modi benefitted 15-20 top industrialists of the country instead of farmers.
Raising the Rafale deal issue, the Congress president reiterated his allegation that Hindustan Aeronautical Ltd was ignored and Prime Minister’s industrialist friend was benefitted with the deal which was finalised with higher prices as compared to rates decided by the former UPA government. Gandhi said Modi did not speak a single word when he raised the Rafale matter. Naming industrialists Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, Lalit Modi and Anil Ambani, he alleged that the Prime Minister benefitted them and did not take care of farmers, youths etc.
He said the former UPA government had waived off farmers’ loan worth ~70,000 crore but bad debt worth ~3.5 lakh crore were written off by the present government led by Modi and the PM did not waive even ~1 of farmers.
“Former UPA government gave MGNREGA, brought tribal bill, gave rights of food and information, meal to students in schools, waived off farmers’ loan worth ~70,000 crore. In Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot government introduced free medicine schemes but what did the Modi government and Vasundhara Raje government do for the poor?”
“We took a decision within ten days to waive off farmers’ loan worth ~70,000 crore but debt worth ~3.5 lakh crore was written off by the Modi government in the last four years. He did not waive a single penny of farmers...,” he said.