‘Approach towards farmers basic difference between me and Modi’
AMETHI (FURSATGANJ): Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the basic difference between him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was their approach towards farmers.
“Unless we help farmers, the country will not progress. Here lies the difference between us and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Narendra Modi. In a meeting, Modi had said if the farmers are unable to produce, we can import foodgrain,” Rahul said, addressing a progressive farmers’ convention at a school in Amethi.
“We talk of justice. If loans of industrialists can be waived off, why farmers are not being given the same treatment?” he asked.
When the farmers raised their issues regarding minimum support price (MSP), Rahul said, “Our government will enable you to decide the price of your produce on your own.” Addressing farmers for about 10 minutes, Rahul spoke on getting better technology and produce for them.
Rahul said after coming to power in 2019, the Congress would revise the goods and services tax (GST) and bring Food Park from Noida to Amethi. He accused the BJP of “snatching away” the food park that he had announced for Amethi (when the Congress was in power at the Centre).
“Let our government be formed, I will bring the food park back. It will be even bigger this time so that 40-50 small units are attached to it,” he said.
“Just as Chinese products are being sold here, I wish products manufactured in Amethi get popular outside,” he said.
Claiming that GST was unfair to the majority of people, Rahul said his government would make necessary changes in GST to provide relief to common man. He said petrol and diesel would also be brought under GST.
“Rahulji said he would ensure revision of GST to make agriculture less expensive,” said Surendra Shukla, a farmer from Amethi who was present in the programme. On the second day of his two-day visit to his parliamentary constituency, Rahul met local residents at his Gauriganj office and visited several villages to meet farmers and party workers. Several youngsters who came to meet the Congress president took selfies with him. Local residents also gave him applications regarding pending work in their villages.