Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre over a host of issues, including the Agnipath scheme and GST. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge too slammed the Centre over a host of issues, including inflation and unemployment, and accused it of making tall promises during election time and going back on those words after coming to power.
Addressing a public meeting as part of the Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra in Haryana, Rahul also said there are two Indias -- one of farmers, labourers, small shopkeepers and unemployed youth and the second of 200-300 people who hold the country's wealth.
Targeting the government over the Agnipath scheme, he said, "First make me understand what the Agnipath scheme is. The BJP people say they are patriots, make me understand their patriotism," he said.
Kharge, senior party leaders Kumari Selja, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, K C Venugopal, Shaktisinh Gohil, Kiran Choudhary and D K Shivakumar were among those present at the rally.
The former Congress president also hit out at the BJP-led Haryana government over the state's high unemployment rate. "In the 21st century, Haryana is the champion in unemployment, you have left everyone behind," Gandhi said when someone in the crowd said the state has an unemployment rate of 38 per cent.
Rahul said demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax (GST) were not policies but weapons to destroy small and medium businesses.
Addressing the rally at Panipat, Kharge said there is rising inflation and unemployment in the country but the government, led by the BJP, does not seem to be bothered.
Kharge said Rahul has led the Bharat Jodo Yatra for more than 3,000 kilometres so far. The foot march reached Haryana from Uttar Pradesh on Thursday evening.
Kharge said the Congress came to power in several states under Rahul’s leadership, but the BJP allegedly used tactics to bring down those democratically-elected governments.
He pointed out that in poll-bound Tripura, Shah has talked about the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Kharge accused the saffron party of indulging in divisive and vote-bank politics and asserted that the Congress stands to protect the interests of all sections of the society.