Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the PM protects only the rich while his party will do justice to the poorest of citizens through its NYAY scheme.
“The idea for a minimum income guarantee scheme for the poorest of poor came from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Rs 15 lakh promise’ made ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls,” said Rahul while addressing a public rally in Haryana’s Yamunanagar.
Asserting that the 2019 polls is a fight between two ideologies, the Congress chief said, “On one hand are the BJP, the RSS and Narendra Modi and on the other is the Congress.”
The Congress chief held three public meetings and roadshow from Jagadhri (Yamunanagar) to Karnal via (Ladwa, Kurukshetra) during his one day tour on Friday to give a big boost to the party’s prospects in Haryana, where the party had won only one Lok Sabha seat out of 10 in 2014 polls.
Rahul joined the party’s ongoing ‘Parivartan Yatra’ during the fourth day in the state and greeted the party supporters during the roadshow. Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is party’s incharge for Haryana, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, state party chief Ashok Tanwar, CLP leader Kiran Choudhry, Rajya Sabha MP Kumari Selja, MP Deepender Hooda, senior leaders Randeep Surjewala, Kuldeep Bishnoi among others accompanied him during the roadshow.
The Gandhi scion, in the election rally at Jagadhri, said unlike the BJP, his party keeps its promise and referred to 'Nyay' programme which the Congress plans to introduce if it forms the government.
He said, his idea for a minimum income guarantee scheme came from Narendra Modi’s ‘Rs 15 lakh promise’ made during 2014 polls.
The Congress chief had earlier this week, promised that the Congress, if voted to power in the Lok Sabha elections, will implement a minimum income guarantee scheme for the poorest 20 per cent of Indian households. Named as NYAY, the scheme is aimed at providing cash support to 5 crore families or 25 crore individuals.
“I watched Narendra Modi’s speech in which he promised to give Rs 15 lakh to every Indian. He said it two-three times...15 lakh, 15 lakh...I thought he is saying the right thing. The idea is correct that money must go the bank account of the poor. I grabbed this idea,” he said.
“After having discussed it for six months, we have now a plan, NYAY (Nyuntam Aay Yojana) under which Rs 72,000 will be deposited in the bank accounts of the poorest people,” he said.
The Congress president said the NYAY is so powerful that it has shaken Narendra Modi.
Accusing the Prime Minister of helping certain industrialists, Rahul said he protects the rich while refraining from helping out the debt-ridden farmers, adding “this 'Chowkidar' is a thief”.
“In the last five years, he (PM) had waived off Rs 3.5 lakh crore of 15 people (industrialists) only. Farmers work day long in harsh weather but when they ask for loan waiver, Arun Jaitley (Finance Minister) says that they won't do it as it is not their policy,” he said.
Continuing his tirade against the Prime Minister, Rahul said, “He (Modi) promised putting Rs 15 lakh into every Indian’s bank account. Did anyone get anything?”
Modi spoke lies about putting Rs 15 lakh into every Indian's bank account. Instead what he did was to do injustice with farmers, hit small shopkeepers with demonetisation, and brought Gabbar Singh Tax (GST), he said.
The Congress president was referring to PM Modi’s 2014 election speech when as the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate he promised to bring back black money stashed in foreign banks within 100 days of coming to power. Modi had also said that if all the black money was brought back to the country, it would be enough to deposit Rs 15 lakh in every poor person’s bank account.
Rahul also accused Modi and BJP of spreading hatred and anger and putting real issues on the backburner.
He also attacked Modi on the Rafale deal issue alleging irregularities in the procurement of jet fighters.
“Narendra Modi’s Make in India is such that Rafale contract was taken from the youth of India. This high technology aircraft would have been manufactured in India by HAL. Its parts should have been made in different states giving employment to lakhs. But Narendra Modi said, Made in France instead of Make in India," Rahul alleged.
He also asked party workers to fan out in every nook and corner to apprise the people about the minimum income guarantee scheme.
Taking a dig at BJP for its Chowkidar campaign, he said, “In 2014, Prime Minister Modi used to say I do not want to become Pradhan Mantri and I want to become Chowkidar. He used to say ‘Achhe din ayenge’. These days a new slogan is running. ‘Chowkidar chor hai’ (watchman is a thief).”
Rahul Gandhi’s visit crucial for Haryana
Rahul Gandhi’s visit in Haryana came at a time when the state party leaders are undertaking six-day ‘Parivartan Yatra’ to iron out differences and connect with the voters ahead of polling day on May 12 in the state.
This was Rahul Gandhi’s first visit to Haryana after taking over as the president of the Congress in December 2017.
With Rahul Gandhi onboard, the ‘Parivartan Yatra’ on its fourth day touched three Lok Sabha constituencies — Ambala, Kurukshetra and Karnal. All the three parliamentary constituencies were bagged by BJP in 2014 polls with party nominees, Ratan Lal Kataria (Ambala), Raj Kumar Saini (Kurukshetra) and Ashwini Kumar (Karnal) elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014.
Gandhi addressed three public meetings, visited Shri Ghantakarna Mahavir Devasthan in Karnal and en route Indri, he had a brief halt at Kamboj Dhaba during the roadshow from Jagadhri to Karnal.
His state visit concluded with his public address at Karnal, the home turf of Chief Minister Manohar Lal on Friday evening.
The voting to 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana will be held in a single phase on May 12.
To put an end to the factionalism in Haryana Congress unit, senior party leaders of faction-ridden Haryana Congress had on Tuesday embarked on a six-day ‘Parivartan Yatra’ in a specially designed bus. The yatra which began on March 26 from Gurugram will conclude at Faridabad on March 31.
Notably, the Congress could retain only one Lok Sabha seat out of 10 in Lok Sabha polls 2014. In assembly polls held later that year, the party was reduced to 15 seats only. The number of Congress MLAs had later increased to 17 after Kuldeep Bishnoi’s HJC’s merger in the party in 2016.
Kuldeep Bishnoi joins Parivartan Yatra
After giving a miss to various party events, Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi finally showed up on Friday to join party’s ‘Parivartan Yatra’.
Bishnoi, son of former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal also denied reports of joining the BJP.
While talking to the mediapersons, Adampur MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi said, “I am a Congressman and have said it time and again.”
“Jaha Rahul honge, wahi main honga, Jaha Rahul nhi, waha main nhi,” he added.
Bishnoi had last week stayed away from the meeting of coordination committee of the Congress under former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and party’s workers meeting in New Delhi. Later, he also stayed away from party’s ‘Parivartan Yatra’ and only showed up during Rahul Gandhi’s visit on Friday.
Bishnoi had in the past served as Hisar MP and is seen as a frontrunner for a Congress’ ticket from the parliamentary seat.
