LUCKNOW: Cornering Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi and UP CM Yogi Adityanath, referring to recent violence in Lakhimpur Kheri, Congress general secretary and party’s UP in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday raised questions on the safety of common man.
While addressing her first public rally—Kisan Nyay rally-- seen as the poll bugle, at Jagat Ram Inter College in Rohinia, Varanasi, Priyanka claimed that nobody including the poor, deprived, downtrodden the women, was safe under the Narendra Modi government. She accused the PM again of favouring his a handful of billionaire friends.
Priyanka began her Varanasi visit on a religious note and embarked upon a temple spree. She first visited the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple and sought blessings of Lord Shiva followed by the Durgakund temple on the occasion of Navratri.
Beginning her speech with shlokas, the Congress leader claimed that she was observing fast on the fourth Navratri day and said that the country was about faith. “Here, farmers feed the citizens, and their sons protect the country’s borders. But when some of them get killed in incidents like the one that took place in Lakhimpur Kheri, their families lose hope for justice.”
Priyanka attacked the PM saying that the country was neither his nor his ministers’ property. “This country belongs to you all. If you are not aware, you will not be able to save your own country and yourself. You (farmers) have made this country.”
She targeted the Prime Minister saying that despite visiting Lucknow around the same time, he did not get time to meet the aggrieved families. “The PM keeps on touring the countries but he could not visit the bereaved families of Lakhimpur Kheri to console them in their hour of grief,” said Priyanka.
Stating that her fight for justice would continue until Union minister Ajay Mishra Teni was suspended, the Congress leader said the junior home minister’s son (Ashish Mishra) had run over protesting farmers, but he was sent an invitation for interrogation. “The chief minister (Yogi Adityanath) is protecting him... What is this?”
She attacked PM Modi for not holding talks with farmers protesting for months against the three contentious farm laws. “The farmers are protesting against the three laws because they know their land will be snatched by the corporate friend of Modi if three farm laws are implemented,” Vadra added.
Exhorting people, especially the farmers, to fight for their rights, the Congress general secretary said, “those who call you andolankari (protesters) and terrorists, force them to give you justice. We are the workers of Congress. We are not scared of anyone. Put us in jail, beat us, but we will keep fighting for justice.”
“If you want to bring a change, come with me, struggle together and change this government. I will not stop until I bring change here,” she added.
Challenging the development plank of the ruling BJP, Priyanka asked the people if the development had reached their doorstep in the present dispensation. “Just ask yourself, how much have you grown in BJP rule. If not, then join us to change this government,” she said. She also cornered the government over rising fuel prices and other commodities.