Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Saturday that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi only spoke whatever he felt like, he spoke only of what was relevant and necessary, adding that the BJP had envisioned an India where the poor would toil and the rich would reap the benefits.
“Modi mann ki baat karte hain, main kaam ki baat karta hun (Modi speaks whatever is on his mind, and I speak of what is relevant and necessary),” Rahul told a campaign rally in Uttarakhand’s Almora town, playing on the name of Prime Minister’s radio show Mann Ki Baat.
The Opposition alleges that Modi mostly speaks himself on the programme and allows others little time to express their views.
Rahul accused the BJP of favouring a set of industrialists while neglecting the poor.
“The BJP is trying to create two Indias — one that will belong to 15-20 big industrialists like Anil Ambani, (Gautam) Adani, Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi, and the other of poor labourers, small traders, unemployed youths and farmers. The poor will work in the BJP’s India and the rich will enjoy the fruits of their labour. But the Congress wants one country where there is social and economic justice for all,” the Congress chief said.
Addressing the second of three rallies in the hill state, Rahul said at Srinagar in Pauri Garhwal district: “It is proved that Modi speaks only lies in his speeches. He uttered many lies in 2014 but didn’t fulfil any promise.”
At the third rally in Haridwar, the Congress leader went on to ask a series of questions on the promises Modi had made before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
“How many youths got jobs in five years of Modi rule?” Rahul asked the crowd. The people replied: “None.”
“You live on the banks of the Ganga. Did they (the Modi government) clean the Ganga?” he asked. “No,” the crowd chorused.
“Did you get Rs 15 lakh (in every bank account?)” asked Rahul. “No,” came the answer.
“Why did it not happen? Because chowkidar…,” the Congress leader said, with the crowd finishing the slogan: “Chor hai.”
Rahul worked the crowd by saying “I cannot hear you” and repeating “chowkidar” thrice, with the people replying “chor hai” every time.
“If the chowkidar can give money to rich people, why can’t I give money to the poor?” the Congress president said, reminding the gathering about the minimum income guarantee scheme (NYAY) the Congress has promised in its poll manifesto.
“Narendra Modi asks where from will we bring the money to give Rs 72,000 a year to poor people. I ask him where from did he get the money to give to Ambani? That money came from the pockets of the poor people of India. So I can tell you (Modi) where from the money will come. It will come back from the pockets of Ambani,” Rahul said.
