New Delhi, Feb. 4: Rahul Gandhi today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi fielded Jayanthi Natarajan to attack him because he had talked about the suit "worth Rs 10 lakh" that Modi wore during US President Barack Obama's visit.
" Ek din maine Modiji ke baare mein kuchh kaha, agle din unhone Natarajan ko khada kiya (One day I said something about Modi, the very next day, he put up Natarajan)," the Congress leader said at a rally here.
Rahul was referring to his comment that Modi had not kept his promise of bringing back black money from abroad and giving each Indian family Rs 15 lakh out of that, but had himself worn a suit worth Rs 10 lakh.
The Congress vice-president did not explain why Natarajan, a former party spokesperson and Union minister, was doing as the BJP said. His party had earlier alleged that Natarajan may have become vulnerable to pressure because the government was in possession of enough "culpable material" to frame her.
The former environment and forests minister had alleged that she was victimised for following Rahul's instructions to go slow on environment clearances to certain industrial proposals. The BJP lapped this up and finance minister Arun Jaitley presented this as the Congress's "sadist" policy. But Rahul today willingly embraced the charge to bolster his pro-poor credentials.
"I want to tell you that I have fought for the poor and the Adivasis and I had told Jayanthi Natrajan that we should look into the welfare of environment, poor and the tribals. I will continue to fight for the poor, the slum-dwellers and the weaker sections." He reiterated that the Prime Minister, on the contrary, was working for the benefit of his "industrial friends".
Rahul repeated his barbs on the now-famous pinstripe suit, embroidered with Modi's name, linking it this time to Make in India. "Modiji said he will give you employment. He talked of Make in India. Crores of rupees were spent on marketing this Make in India. You tell me whether something came out of it. He wears a Rs 10 lakh suit. Newspapers report that this is not Make in India. That too is Make in UK. And then he tells you about Make in India and employment."
At his belligerent best despite gloomy predictions for his party, Rahul said: "Did any youth get employment? No. The PM told you that Delhi is dirty, clean it. He didn't solve your problems, didn't lessen your suffering but gave a broom in your hand." Like in the previous rally, these remarks again evoked an enthusiastic response from the crowd.
The Congress leader recalled how he used to say before the parliamentary election that one person cannot solve the people's problems and that was now coming true. "Modi had come and sold you big dreams during Lok Sabha polls. He engaged in tall talk. I had told you one person alone cannot change India. But you believed Modi. India can be changed by the people of India. If India needs anything, it is the empowerment of people. I said that one person cannot bring all the change."
Rahul pointed out that none of the problems had been solved and the prices of essential commodities, particularly vegetables, had gone up sharply despite the slump in crude oil prices. He also criticised AAP's Arvind Kejriwal for selling "false dreams".
