After taking on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Rafale fighter jet deal, Congress on Monday accused the NDA regime of "looting farmers" in the name of its much-touted crop insurance scheme, the "Pradhanmantri Bima Fasal Yojana". The party which is now facing the BJP in three States Assembly elections also alleged that the Modi Government did not fulfil the promises it made five years ago and said it had achieved "nothing".
Taking cognisance of article by farm activist P Sainath who has asserted that the crop insurance scheme was a "bigger scam than even the Rafale scam", Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of promoting crony capitalism. Sainath has said the Government's policies are anti-farmer and Pradhanmantri Bima Fasal Yojana is a bigger racket than even the Rafale scam.
"After looting the Air Force in Rafale, now the farmers are being looted in the name of crop insurance. The motive is one: fill thousands of crores of rupees in the accounts of suit-boot friends," Rahul said via social media. The Congress President has been attacking Modi and his Government for corruption in the Rafale jets deal.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram alleged that the BJP-led Government began its term with promises of development, jobs and depositing money into people's bank accounts, but now it is promising grand temples, statues and doles.
Chidambaram's remarks alluded to the recent inauguration of a giant statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel by Modi and the BJP's promise to build a grand Ram temple at Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram.
"At the beginning of five years, the promise is for development, jobs and money in every citizen's bank account. Nothing achieved, at the end of five years, the new promise is for grand temples, giant statues and doles," said the former Finance Minister.
With Lok Sabha elections fast approaching, Chidambaram has been targeting the Modi Government over its alleged failure to fulfil the pre-poll promises made by his party.
BJP on its part accused Chidambaram of "mocking" the "Ram temple initiative" and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's statue, saying the former Union Minister's comments were "highly irresponsible and very provocative".
Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said it was a case of "classic hypocrisy" that while Congress president Rahul Gandhi visits temples and portrays himself as a 'Shiv Bhakt', a senior leader of his party was making such comments.
Prasad said Chidambaram is obviously mocking the Ram temple initiative and the Patel's Statue of Liberty, the tallest in the world.