Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi again targetted the Modi Government on Tuesday, saying that the “Modi Government gives money from one hand, but takes back with another,” and that the Centre was not only reducing money on social sector schemes but also changing the basic nature of the schemes like MNREGA.
Referring to a series of complaints by CMs, he also raised concerns over the efforts of centralisation of power and functioning of NITI Ayog, along with growing communal tension in parts of the country.
At the end of the Congress Chief Ministers’ Conclave, a resolution was adopted by the party to “forcefully resist attempts to disturb communal harmony and social peace” after party president Sonia Gandhi accused the Modi government of engaging in a “dangerous duplicitous game of polarisation.” The party also resolved to strongly oppose government’s attempt to amend the 2013 land Acquisition law and National Food Security Act.
Sonia accused Modi government of allowing his colleagues to create an atmosphere of “fear and foreboding” by fomenting “communal polarisation”. “One one hand, the Prime Minister wants to project himself as the great champion of good governance and Constitutional values while on the other he allows many of his colleagues to make vile statements and foment communal polarisation. This has already damaged our secular fabric. An atmosphere of fear and foreboding has been deliberately created,” she said in her inaugural address.
“Unprecedented centralisation of power and authority, the deliberate by-passing of Parliamentary procedures and practices, threats to civil society and warnings to the judiciary marked the Modi rule,” she added.
Attacking the Central government for having anti-farmer policies, Rahul said Modi government’s big plans are far from materialising. “The lion in the logo of Make in India is good and big, but one is unable to hear the sound of this lion. Where are the jobs that were promised”IJ Rahul told media persons after the meet.
Earlier, during their addresses at the conclave, both Sonia and Rahul outlined the need for improving “communication and marketing skills” to reach out to the people about the good work done by them. The top leadership acknowledged this was one area where they failed during the 2014 lok Sabha poll despite doing a lot of good work on ground. The leaders asked CMs to work in tandem with the party cadres, keep them motivated, mobilized and use the strength of party organization to the hilt.
Rahul suggested each Congress state should focus on a couple of transformational programmes and make them the best in the country. “We must maintain a minimum level of performance. It should be felt that the nine Congress State Governments are the best performing Governments in the country”, he told the CMs.
Speaking at the gathering, former PM Manmohan Singh made a sarcastic comment over Modi’s communication skills. “I have to acknowledge that my successor has been a more adept salesman, event manager and communicator than me,” said Singh. He, however, emphasized that the UPA success story should not be lost because of inadequate communication. Singh also slammed the BJP for its “obstructionist” role in blocking the GST bill during the UPA rule and favoured greater untied funds for state governments.
Singh further critised the incumbent government for Rsabolishing hastily’ the Planning Commission as it helped weaker states and poorer regions. He was supported by Himachal Pradesh CM Veerbhadra Singh who said: “The Planning Commission used to take up the issues of the states with the ministries concerned. Niti Aayog, I personally feel, has no clear directives for special category states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.”