Prime Minister Narendra Modi is no chowkidaar but a bhagidaar in corruption, as is evident in the Rafale deal — charged AICC president Rahul Gandhi, while addressing a rally in Bidar in Karnataka, on Monday.
Rahul, who flagged off the first 'Jana dwani' (people's voice) rally in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, reiterated the charges he made against Modi recently in the Parliament.
“Modi ji has stolen jobs from the youth, especially engineers of Karnataka by cancelling the Bengaluru-based HAL's contract in the Rafale deal. He has snatched away jobs. The UPA government had signed the Rafale deal with France where each aircraft cost was Rs 526 crore and there was a technology transfer to HAL clause too. But Modi decided to buy these aircrafts at an escalated cost of Rs 1600 crore each only to benefit his industrialist friend Anil Ambani through his 10-day-old company. I dare Modi to openly debate about Rafale with me. Even Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has lied to the country in this regard,” alleged Rahul.
Exhorting his partyworkers, Rahul set the agenda for the Parliament polls, by asking the cadres to educate people on agrarian crisis, farm loan waiver, women safety, GST, demonetisation, fuel hike and inflation.
“Modi is not the prime minister of the country, but of 15-20 rich businessmen. He chants Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, but he never told you that you are supposed to save girl child from BJP leaders. BJP MLAs are involved in sexual assaults against women and are suspects in the child abuse cases in the shelter homes in UP and Bihar. But Modi is mum and is perhaps trying to save his partymen,” mocked Rahul.
Taking a dig at Modi, Rahul recalled the two examples of innovation narrated by the prime minister recently. “Modi ji says a dhaabawala's innovation led him to draw cooking gas from the nearby drain. In another, a farmer used a similar technology to run his irrigation pump. This is Modi's model for generating employment, where the government does not waive farm loan, but advises educated youth to sell pakodas by drawing gas from a drain. The previous Congress government in Karnataka had waived off nearly Rs 10,000 crore as farm loan. This time, the coalition government has waived off farm loans which are almost three times of the MSP (minimum support prices) hike announced by the Centre. I dare Modi ji to foot 50% of the total farm loan waiver,” said Rahul, who also promised that if the Congress comes to power in 2019, he would remove the 'Gabbar Singh Tax' and introduce a simpler GST.
Sounding the poll bugle from Bidar in north Karnataka, amid growing demand for a separate statehood in the region, the Congress party is hoping to project a pro-north Karnataka image ahead of the crucial polls.
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“You must remember that it was UPA that fought for Article 371 J (special status that mandates reservation in education and employment and special grants) for Hyderabad-Karnataka districts. In fact, the BJP was opposed to it. Deputy PM L.K. Advani had refused to accord special status. But the Congress heeded to the people's plea,” said Rahul.
Earlier, senior Congressman Mallikarjun Kharge urged people to vote for the Congress to “save the Constitution, democracy and secular values” of the country.
Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is also the chairman of the coordination committee of the JDS-Congress coalition in the state, hit back at Modi saying he had let down farmers and dalits. “He sheds crocodile tears, but does not waive off farm loans. He remained mum when SC/ST Atrocties act was at the risk of being diluted. Enough of Mann ki Baat, the PM should start Kaam ki baat, to ensure social justice,” said Siddaramaiah.
KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao demanded to know what was the contribution of the 17 BJP MPs to Karnataka. “None of the BJP MPS have fought for the issues concerning the state, be it farm loan waiver, Mahadayi water dispute, or drought relief. I urge people to vote for the Congress as we are a party that works for the poor and not the corporates,” said Rao.