Modi acts like a king, doesn’t listen to people, says Rahul
Cong leader alleges that income disparity between the rich and poor has become high under BJP rule
DEHRADUN: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led central government, calling Modi a “King who doesn’t listen to people.”
Citing the UPA government’s tenure before 2014, Gandhi said, “People call the tenure of then PM Manmohan Singh as the golden period because under him the UPA government worked for the poor while having a partnership with the farmers. He was a PM who listened to the people. But today, Narendra Modi is not the PM but a king who doesn’t listen to the people.”
Gandhi was addressing a gathering of farmers in Kiccha town of US Nagar district as part of the Congress’s election campaign for the state assembly polls to be held on February 14. Former chief minister and party’s national general secretary Harish Rawat, state president Ganesh Godiyal, leader of Opposition Pritam Singh and state unit incharge Devendra Yadav, among others, were present on the occasion. Gandhi also held a party event later in the day in Haridwar where he addressed a gathering of party workers.
“PM is a person whose doors are always open for the farmers, labourers, poor and other people, so that he will listen to their issues and provide solutions. The farmers while protesting against the three farm laws were on the road for more than one year, braving rain, Covid-19 and winter. But PM Modi didn’t pay any heed to invite them to his office so as to listen to their issues. It is because he believes a king does’t talk to farmers and labourers; he just takes a decision which the people shouldn’t question. And if anyone dares to question it, then there is ED, CBI and Pegasus for him,” said Gandhi.
Lashing out at the BJP-led government at the Centre, he said there are two Indias in the country now.
“One is of the rich who dine in five star hotels and drive costly cars. A handful of such people own property which is equivalent to that of 40% of the total population. The second India is of the poor, farmers and labourers where there are no jobs, land of people is snatched away and the prices of petrol and diesel are skyrocketing. There is no other country except India where the income disparity between the rich and poor is so high,” he said.
Urging the gathering to support the Congress, Gandhi said, “We have always stood against injustice as in the case of the three farm laws.”
“If the Congress is voted to power, we would form partnership with the farmers, labourers, poor and youth so that they can say that it is their government which listen to them,” said Gandhi.
“Mahakumbh is a global religious event but the BJP government misused it by playing with religious sentiments and health of devotees with fake Covid-19 tests .BJP also had to change two chief ministers during and after the Mahakumbh which itself reflect the ill governance of BJP,” said Rahul.
Rawat, who is also the chairman of the party’s election campaign committee, accused the BJP government of working against the welfare of the farmers.
“First they brought the three black farm laws, but later took them back under pressure mounted by the farmers’ struggle. But the sufferings of the farmers didn’t stop there as today the prices of seeds, pesticides, fertilizers, agricultural equipment and fuel are skyrocketing to which the government is paying no heed to give them a relief,” said Rawat.
“PM Modi had earlier promised to double the income of farmers by 2022, but the year has already started and instead of a rise in their income, it has rather decreased.”
The state BJP refuted the allegations of Congress and termed it a party “which has lost its credibility.”
“Congress has been rejected by the people of the state and country as they know that it’s synonym to corruption and misgovernance. The only party which has worked for actual development of the state is the BJP. People will once again shower their blessings on it in the upcoming assembly elections and give it a chance to serve them again,” said party state general secretary Rajendra Bhandari.
PM is a person whose doors are always open for the farmers, labourers, poor and other people, so that he will listen to their issues and provide solutions. RAHUL GANDHI,
Cong leader