Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused BJP leaders of doing politics sitting inside AC rooms and alleged that their “shining India” meant just imported cars and swanky airports.
Addressing a public rally at Sagar in the Bundelkhand region in Madhya Pradesh, Rahul recalled his previous visits to the region. “I stayed in the huts of the poor, was bitten by mosquitoes and developed a stomach problem after drinking water from there. But it was worth the experience as I learnt a lot about the villagers’ problems,” he said.
Rahul said he got the Centre to sanction a special package of Rs 4,950 crore for the region, but the BJP leaders who ruled the state “siphoned off” the funds.
“We too build airports but we don’t boast of them, because that is not our definition of development. In our view, feeding the hungry is real development. The BJP opposed the UPA decision to introduce the Food Security Bill. The BJP opposed the Land Acquisition Bill which provides for compensation four times higher than the market price to farmers whose land is acquired,” he told a massive crowd.
Rahul said thanks to the UPA rural people were getting jobs under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. “For us, the Food Security Act, MGNREGA and Land Acquisition Bill are the models of development as these are aimed at ensuring inclusive growth. But for the BJP, shining roads and big cars are parameters of development”. Rahul said he was confident the BJP would be defeated in next month’s Assembly elections.
Regretting the factionalism within the party, the Congress scion told the audience that the state leaders had assured him they would fight the BJP unitedly. “I have told all leaders of the state Congress to forget their groups and factions and work together for the victory of our candidates.”
And in Indore, Rahul said the BJP was responsible for the Muzaffarnagar riots which he alleged were orchestrated keeping the Lok Sabha elections in mind. Rahul claimed that a senior officer had told him that Pakistani intelligence personnel were in touch with Muzaffarnagar youth.