Continuing his attack on the Modi dispensation, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the Government of trying to snatch away farmers’ land for select capitalists. Rahul also targeted Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, calling him a “mini-Modi” who has now “forgotten” the poor. Braving scorching heat, Rahul undertook a 15-km padayatra to highlight the plight of poor farmers. Starting from Koratikal village, Rahul covered five villages where he stopped and met families of farmers, who had committed suicide due to debt in Adilabad district. He met the family members of Velma Rajeshwar, who allegedly committed suicide due to debt burden of nearly Rs12 lakh, and consoled them. He handed over a cheque of Rs2 lakh to Rajeshwar’s widow Gangavva.
later, while addressing a gathering in Adilabad, Rahul hit out at the NDA Government for attempting to dilute the land Acquisition Act passed by the Congress-led UPA Government in 2013. “Modi and mini-Modi claim to change India and Telangana, but they forgot the poor who actually transform the country,” Rahul said, without naming Rao. “If Modi or the Chief Minister here meets farmers then I don’t have to (worry about them),” he said.
Terming the proposed amendments to the land Acquisition Act as draconian, Rahul explained to farmers how the new provisions in the Bill will leave them both landless and penniless. “If land is taken from you, it will be taken without asking you. There will be no social audit. If no work starts even after five years, 10 years, 15 years or 50 years, you will not get your land back,” Rahul said.
Attacking the Modi Government for favouring “crony capitalism”, Rahul claimed the Government is not making use of thousands of acres of land lying unused in SEZs, but is attempting to take away land from farmers. “I will tell you why this land is being taken. Because this land is gold. You and your children do not need anything else. They don’t want you to keep the land. They want to give away the land to two-three industrialist friends,” he said.
“Today, the Governments in India and in Telangana are being run for a few people. Five-six industrialists are the friends of the Prime Minister. They go with him abroad and entire India is being run for them,” Rahul alleged while clarifying that the Congress is not against development but the way Bills are being pushed with high speed to favour a few. “Acchey Din are only for a few selected people,” the Congress leader said.
He charged that the Centre and the TRS Government did nothing for farmers hit by unseasonal rain and failed to deliver on their promises of raising MSP of crops and waiving loan. “The Congress would stand by farmers both in Parliament and on the streets,” said Rahul. He also claimed that people he had met admitted to have ‘made a mistake’ by voting for BJP in 2014 elections.
Talking about Modi’s monogrammed suit, Rahul said: “Is there anyone here who wears a Rs 10 lakh suitIJ But, Modiji does,” he said while repeating that the NDA Government is a “suit-boot ki sarkar.” Talking about the Centre as well the TRS Government’s claims to work for ‘Make in India’ and providing jobs, Rahul asked if anyone in the gathering had got a job after the two Governments assumed office about a year ago.