Barely a few kilometers away from Gujarat assembly in Gandhinagar, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi cornered the ruling BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday afternoon. Congress had just got a shot in the arm as OBC Ekta Manch president Alpesh Thakore joined the party.
Addressing a massive gathering, which had waited patiently for over an hour to listen to him and Thakore, Gandhi left nothing in his short but direct speech. GST, unemployment, benefits to the industries, unrest among the youth and rise of BJP national president Amit Shah's son Jay, he said it all, amid cheers.
Terming GST as “gabbar singh tax”, as the crowd burst into laughter, Gandhi said that it would need to be simplified, or else the nation would suffer.
Gandhi began his speech by saying Jai Mataji, Jai Sardar and Jai Bheem—an effort to show that he cared for all sections of the society. While Jai Mataji is said by the OBCs, especially Thakores; Jai Sardar is used by the Patidars and Jai Bheem by dalits.
Today, there is not a single community in Gujarat, which is not associated with any agitation. This is because, for the last 22 years we have not seen people's rule but the rule of a handful of industrialists, alleged Gandhi.
Bringing up the problems of unemployment, Gandhi said that crores of youth of the state won't remain silent as Modi has harassed them too much. The voice of Hardik and Jignesh is in the hearts of people and they won't become silent. These are no ordinary voices, he said, adding that Gujaratis cannot be suppressed or purchased even if the wealth of the entire world is put in.
Gandhi, in the morning, had tweeted about the incident where Narendra Patel, former Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti leader who joined the BJP, quit the latter after alleging that he was offered Rs 1 crore. He had also showed Rs 10 lakh in bundles of Rs 500 notes at a press conference.
Using Modi's own style, Gandhi referred to Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in his speech. The Congress leader said that when the Britishers tried to suppress Gandhiji, he threw away the super power. Sardar Patel had worked to protect the voice of Gujarat while "this government wants to suppress the voice of Gujarat and wants to purchase it. But the reality is that it can't be purchased”.
Gandhi alleged that favours were given to industrialists, but farmers' loans were not waived off. Gandhi questioned Modi on Jay Shah's rise. Recently, there was a report that turnover of Jay's company increased 16,000 times within months of the NDA coming to power. “Modiji, say something about him,” Gandhi provoked Modi. Gandhi taunted Modi by saying that Modi claims that everything is done by him. Even if a rocket is fired he takes the credit, said Gandhi.
The “Resurgence Convention” of Monday is seen to have given a major boost to the Congress. Gandhi assured the gathering that he would do whatever was necessary for the youth in the field of education, hospitals and employment.
Before reaching the venue, Gandhi held talks with Thakore and some Patidar leaders. PAAS convener Hardik Patel did not meet him and said that he was away to attend a public meeting outside Ahmedabad. He did not rule out the possibility of meeting Gandhi in future for the benefit of Patidars and others.
Gandhi is also slated to meet dalit leader Jignesh Mewani before flying to New Delhi. Mewani has made it clear that he is not in support of BJP.
