Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday accused the Narendra Modi Government of “crushing” the weak and the poor who demand their rights. He also said Union Ministers and BJP leaders were free to carry out personalised attacks against him but they should not “crush the poor and the weak for whom I speak.”
His party also issued a statement stating that “theatrics” in Parliament might be good entertainment for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s supporters, but reminded him “it is his job to deliver”.
“Tribals from Bastar met me today. They said they are facing atrocities in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar and that they are being threatened and crushed. Country will not benefit by beating and threatening people. You pressurised Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad, here you are pressurising Kanhaiya and our students,” Rahul said talking to the media after his meeting with tribals.
The Congress V-P alleged that “wherever the poor, Dalits, farmers, small-time traders are asking for their rights, the NDA Government is crushing their voice.” These people are the strength of India and no one will benefit by crushing them, he said.
“If you have to take action, do it. Those who break law, take action. But by crushing, threatening and beating the poor won’t help the country,” Rahul said. In an apparent reference to Modi’s remarks in the lok Sabha that “some people age but do not mature”, Rahul said the PM and his Cabinet colleagues are free to attack him. “Modi attacked me personally. His party colleagues are attacking me personally on a daily basis,” he said.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley recently took a dig at the Congress vice-president over his lok Sabha speech and said “the more I hear Rahul Gandhi, the more I start wondering how much does he know — when will he know”.
“Do as much personal attacks as you want. But don’t crush the poor, the weak for whom I speak. Hit me as much you want. Attack me as much you want. Speak for as long as you want to, but don’t hit the poor people of the country,” Rahul stressed.
In a scathing commentary where the Congress asks ‘How much does he hearIJ When will he hearIJ’, an apparent retort to Arun Jaitley’s Facebook post ‘How much does he know — when will he know’ targeting Rahul Gandhi, the Opposition party alleged that Modi ignored the voices of farmers, Dalits, students and even his own Ministers.
“It is time to get real. Theatrics in Parliament may be good entertainment for his supporters. But pulses are still selling at more than double the price when he took office. It is his job to deliver, and ours to ask questions,” the AICC said.
The party said as one evolves from Chief Minister to Prime Minister. Besides, the party alleged that the Prime Minister didn’t hear Kanhaiya’s speech at JNU, but his Government chose to listen to the “doctored” videos that were “circulated” by members/supporters of the BJP.