Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra on Sunday charged that the Modi government was practising ‘politics of discrimination” in matters relating to the development works during its rule for more than ten years now.

Addressing an election rally in the naxal-infested Gadchiroli district in Vidarbha region, Priyanka said that the Modi-led dispensation at the Centre had deprived youth in Maharashtra of jobs by diverting mega industrial projects to Gujarat.

“The Modi government has been unfair to the jobless youth in Maharashtra. Owing to diversion of big-ticket projects to Gujarat,  Maharashtra is facing huge job losses. As a result, unemployment has shot up hugely in the state. As many as 2.50 lakh government posts remain vacant,” Priyanka said.

Linking the suicides by youth in Maharashtra to lack of job opportunities, Priyanka said: “Maximum number of suicides by the youth are taking place in Maharashtra. This is because of the ruling BJP’s failure to address  the issue of unemployment”.

Averring that the Modi government was discriminatory in its approach towards Maharashtra, Priyanka said:   “India’s first PM Jawaharlal Nehru set up many big educational institutions, factories, ports, dams, hospitals across all states considering the overall interests of the country. The Congress governments in the past never practised favouritism or shown discrimination in matters of development”

Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi  and other BJP leaders for their slogan  “ek hain to safe hain” (if we are united, we are safe), Priyanka said: “In this country, the only one who is truly safe is Adani. The entire country knows that Adani is the only one who has access to the government coffers, while ordinary citizens are finding it difficult to make both ends meet”.

Accusing the Modi government of gifting away airports, ports and some of the major companies  to Adani, Priyanka said: “The government should be focused on creating jobs for people across the country, not allocating national assets to one individual”.

The Congress leader charged that there was a lack of accountability in governance in the country. “During the Congress rule, our leaders used to be accountable to the people. However, under the BJP, this accountability is gone. Ministers, chief ministers, and the prime minister have become unanswerable to the people.

When you demand accountability from them, the ruling political leaders divert attention from real issues and focus on polarising the society,” Priyanka said.