The entire nation had to pay a heavy price for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to ban notes, said Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi in Maharashtra on Friday. Criticising Modi for "wrong and failed policy decisions like demonetisation and neglecting agriculture sector", Rahul said, "Modi helped corrupt people convert their black money at the cost of the poor."
Rahul was in the state to visit Nanded and Parbhani districts of Marathwada region. He addressed a public meeting in Nanded along with state congress president Ashok Chavan, former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and former Union minister Shivraj Patil.
Rahul also talked about various issues concerning the farmers in Marathwada. He said, “Modi had promised to create two crore jobs every year but could create only less than a lakh jobs. In fact, there were more job losses than new ones created. It is a shame for the BJP government that over 9,000 farmers had to commit suicide in three years.”
Marathwada region had faced the worst ever drought in 2015-16. Although it produced the biggest yield of toor (arhar) in 2016-17, the farmers in the region were the worst hit by plummeting prices and demonetisation.
Rahul also interacted with the farmers in the region later the day while addressing 'Sangharsh Rally' in Parbhani district. He noted that the real loan waiver will be far less than the figures claimed by the government.
“Why is the government asking you to write your caste in the application for loan waiver? What does the caste have to do with the loan waiver?” he asked addressing the farmers. “There was peace, progress and development during the UPA. GDP growth was over eight per cent, despite sky high prices of crude oil in the international markets. But NDA has created an atmosphere of uncertainty in every single sector and the social unrest is worrying.”
Rahul assured the gathering that the Congress party will stand by the people in every difficulty that they face and said, “We will defeat the BJP’s ideology of hatred with the Congress ideology of love, harmony and inclusive growth.”
