Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai)

Gandhi attacks Modi on multiple fronts

- Punya Priya Mitra

REWA: Congress president Rahul Gandhi hit the hinterland trail in the Vindhya region of Madhya Pradesh by attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi on multiple fronts, citing his hubris, the failure to provide jobs to youth, the demonetisa­tion drive and farm distress, through a series of public and street corner meetings that lasted over six hours on Friday.

Gandhi also continued his belligeren­t attack on Modi over the Rafale deal and repeatedly alleged, “Chowkidar chor hai.” (The watchman is a thief)

Talking to the media at Tyonthar, a town bordering Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi said, “Chowkidar ki Chori pakri gai hai. Unhone upne mitra ko madad karne ke liye France pey dabav banaya” (The chowkidar has been caught stealing. He put pressure on France to help his industrial­ist friend).

Gandhi, accompanie­d by Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief Kamal Nath and MPCC election campaign committee chief Jyotiradit­ya Scindia and other senior Congress leaders hit the campaign in a specially designed bus.

Addressing a public meeting at Tyonthar, 90 km from Rewa district headquarte­rs, Gandhi said, “I heard Modiji’s speech on August 15. I was amazed to hear him saying that before he became PM the elephant (India) was sleeping and achieved nothing, and it was he who woke it up. Modiji is insulting your forefather­s because the country has come forward not because of Congress or BJP, but due to sweat and blood of the farmers,” drawing applause from the audience. He said Modi promised two crore jobs for the youth every year but failed.

At a public meeting at Baikunthpu­r, Gandhi criticised Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and claimed he had made 21,000 promises without fulfilling any. “We are different from them. We do not make hundreds of empty promises, but we will make four to five promises and will fulfil all. ” Gandhi promised that all farm loans will be waived within 10 days of the Congress coming to power.

State BJP vice-president Vijesh Lunawat said, “Rahul Gandhi’s immaturity and etiquette is reflected in his choice of language. Also, he is not speaking on his brother-in-law’s scams and those scams he himself has been found involved in.”

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