KALABURAGI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi continued his tirade against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his first election rally in the state after the election dates were announced, Rahul took potshots at BJP’s “mai bhi chowkidar” campaign and accused the PM of being a chowkidar (watchman), who was caught while protecting a thief. “He now wants to make people of this country chowkidars,” he said.
Addressing a largely attended rally at NV Ground here on Monday, Rahul said that before assuming the position of Prime Minister, Modi assured the nation that he would be the chowkidar of the country to protect the interest of the nation.
He asked what this chowkidar has done in the last five years. He took Anil Ambani and managed to get a defence deal (Rafale) in favour of his close friend who does not know anything about fighter aircraft. This contract helped Ambani get a profit of Rs 30,000 crore. This is the work of a chowkidar, he pooh-poohed, Rahul said. This chowkidar promised the youths of two crore employment in five years and made the youngsters dream of employment. But these dreams were also stolen as Modi has failed to create even 30 lakh employment. Instead, during his tenure many lost their jobs due to Gabbarsingh Tax, he said about GST.
He went on to add that Modi promised of crediting Rs 15 lakh in the accounts of all Indians within a few days of assuming power by binging black money kept in foreign banks by corrupt people. However, instead of arresting corrupt businessmen like Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi, Vijay Mallya, Modi’s government allowed to them to go to foreign countries and settle there. Demonetisation helped corrupt politicians and corporate sector convert black money into white and made the poor and middle class suffer.
To this, the crowd shouted ‘chowkidar chor hai’.
Rahul promises minimum income to every citizen
Kalaburagi: AICC president Rahul Gandhi has termed the previous Congress government led by Siddaramaiah and the present Congress-JD(S) coalition government as pro-people. Addressing Parivartan rally here on Monday, Rahul said the previous government waived crop loans up to Rs 50,000 from cooperative banks while the present government has waived all crop loans, including those taken from nationalised banks. “The government which responds to people’s problems is the government of the people. Despite several requests, the NDA government has failed to waive farm loans. Now, it says that it has credited Rs 2,000 in the bank accounts of farmers.
What could farmers do with this small amount?” he asked. He said, “If Congress or UPA is elected to power, we will bring a legislation so that every citizen will get a minimum income and it will be credited to people’s bank accounts.” Speaking about the amendment to Article 371J of the Constitution for the Hyderabad-Karnataka region, he said, “In 2009, we promised to amend Article 371J and we kept our promise. Our government has implemented it and 30,000 youths from this region got jobs and 6,000 students are getting seats in colleges in the state.”