After he was granted bail in a criminal defamation case filed against him in a Bhiwandi court, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was running a “Government of 15 industrialists” that was trying to enslave the people in the country.
Addressing a party workers’ rally after a Bhiwandi court granted him bail in a defamation case filed against him by RSS functionary Rajesh Kunte, Rahul took on the NDA Government over the monetisation issue and accused the Prime Minister of not acting against “15 to 20” industrialist-friends who were hoarding black money.
Rahul also charged that the NDA Government was trying to enslave the people in the country, but said that the Congress would not let the Modi dispensation succeed in its designs. “Crores of Indians brought freedom to this country. Now we have a Government that wants to enslave the people in the country. We will fight this Government and win,” he said.
Rahul, who appeared before Judge Tushar Waze, was granted bail in the defamation case on the basis of surety given by former Union Minister Shivraj Patil. The judge adjourned the case till January 30, 2017.
Castigating the Modi Government for its decision to demonetise `1,000 and `500 notes, Rahul said: “People are inconvenienced by demonetisation decision taken by Modi. You people are standing in the queues for exchange of demonetised currency. Do you see any money peopled people in the queuesIJ The Modi Government has waived loans amounting to a staggering `1.10 lakh crore during the last two years”.
Accusing the Government of having resorted to demonetisation of currency of high denomination to shore up money to waive the loans of “15 to 20” industrialists, Rahul said: “I will tell you what is happening. You are being forced to stand in queues and deposit your money. The money collected from you will be given to the same industrialists. You watch my words, Narendra Modi will use the money collected from you to waive the loans of 15 to 20 industrialists, after one year.
“Farmers are in distress. So are small shopkeepers and labourers. Entire India is in tears. Entire India is standing in queues. Narendra Modi is splits sometimes and is in tears sometimes,” Rahul said.
Rahul, who also interacted with media after the rally. Addressing a party workers’ rally briefly, said that Congress was all for the Government initiating stern action against people hoarding black money. “We would definitely like the Government to act against those hoarding black money. The people who are real black marketers are those who have Rs 10-20000 crore. They are all friends of Narendra Modi and they go with Modi in planes. Action should be taken against them. No action is being taken against them because they are friends of Modi,”Rahul said.
Rahul said that he would continue to fight a battle of ideology against the RSS. “I am happy that I am fighting this case.. On one side you have an ideology spawned by freedom and thoughts of Gandhiji, the other you have ideology borne out of slavery… The people (the Government) with whom I am fighting want to muzzle the people of India. They have not understood of power of India as yet. This country will never bow down to anyone. Nor anyone can it force kneel down. It is not just Rahul Gandhi who is fighting the battle of ideologies, but the entire Congress is fighting this battle. Crores of people in the country are also fighting for Gandhiji’s ideology”.
Exhorting the Congressmen not to budge from their positions every one inch, Rahul said: “You show them ( the Government) as to what is the strength of the Congress and the ideology of Gandhiji
Earlier at the hearing held at the Bhiwandi court, complainant Kunte offered to withdraw hios case if Rahul apologized for his comment.
“If he ( Rahul Gandhi) admits that it was mistake then the complainant (Kunte) is willing to withdraw the case against him as the complainant (Kunte) believed in forgive and forget….But my client wants him (Rahul) to give an undertaking that he would not repeat in future,” Kunte’s lawyer Nandu Phadke told the court.
However, Rahul rejected Kunte’s offer outright. In effect, Rahul be tried in the defamation case against him by Kunte.