Congress leader and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday slammed BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for his much publicised Gujarat model of development, while calling it as “Adani model and toffee model”. Rahul Gandhi also took on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for not utilising funds sent by the Central Government for development in Bihar.
“What Modi said as Gujarat model is basically toffee model or Adani model. He took away 45,000 acre of fertile land of farmers and provided it to businessman Adani for a paltry sum of `1 per sq metre,” alleged Rahul Gandhi at a public rally in Gopalgunj. The Congress had fielded Dr Jyoti as party candidate from Gopalganj (reserved) constituency.“Do you know it was because of this largesse given by Modi to Adani, that his company’s finance rose from `3,000 crore to `40,000 crore now and that is more than the budget of MGNREGA,” he claimed. Rahul Gandhi further claimed that ever since he has exposed the “myth of Gujarat model of development”, Modi has stopped talking about it.
The Congress leader also attached Narendra Modi’s ‘tall claims’ about fighting terrorism in the country.
“He is triggering anger by telling lies. The official figures show that 22,000 people died due to terrorism during the five year rule of the NDA, while the figure was just 800 during the five year period of the Congress-led UPA,” claimed Rahul, while expressing wonder that despite these figures they (BJP) often criticise the Congress Government for failing to fight terrorism and protect the honour of soldiers.
While addressing the public rally at Turkaha in Gopalganj constituency, Rahul also said that when the Congress took care of all sections of society, the BJP care for just one religion, caste and two-three businessmen.He also took on Narendra Modi’s claims of women empowerment and his vision for the country’s economic development. “It’s all no better than the NDA Government’s ‘India Shinning’ slogan,” he said.While referring to the ‘snoopgate’, Rahul said that Modi spent all his power keeping track of a woman’s movement and now he is talking of women empowerment.“He talks about empowering women on one hand and then he taps the phone of women in Gujarat to monitor her phone calls,” he alleged.
“Electrification of villages by the UPA Government was two times more than the NDA rule. Similarly, the UPA Government constructed almost three times more roads than the NDA,” declared the Congress leader.The Congress leader, in his speech, also talked about MGNREGA, Right to Food law, new land acquisition law and also informed that the Congress has sought a mandate to enact three more legislations.
While making references of his recent meetings with rickshaw pullers, coolies and other people engaged in low-paid professions, he said that he gathered what the basic needs for such people was.“Free medicare including cost of medicine and provision for operation, right to a concrete roof for poor and pension for the elderly,” these are the three vital areas of concern and the Congress is committed to fulfill all these. He further declared that building a Japanese-financed industrial corridor is also in the agenda which would provide employment opportunities to the millions of youth of the country.
In an apparent bid to woo voters of Bihar and Gopalgunj, Rahul said, “our dream is that instead of using shoes, watches, T-shirts with the ‘made in China’ tag, we can have these items with ‘made in Bihar’ or ‘made in Gopalganj’ tags.”
Rahul also took on Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for failing to utilise funds sent by the Centre for the welfare of poor.“Your CM had promised you to provide employment but did you really get employmentIJ” he asked the audience.“A sum of `6,000 crore is lying with the State for sugarcane development, but it has not reached farmers,” he charged.
Besides, every year flood ravages this place. The UPA Government has given crores of rupees exclusively for Bihar to fight floods here. “But the State Government is not able to fight the floods properly,” he said.“The incumbent Government in Bihar makes tall speeches, but it doesn’t do anything on ground,” he further charged. He also assured the people that their demand of an airport at Gopalgunj would definitely be looked upon by his party’s next Government.
Gopalgunj goes to poll on May 12.