Rahul Gandhi roasts PM; chants Nyay song

MAHUA (BHAVNAGAR): Congress president Rahul Gandhi kick-started his

Lok Sabha

poll campaign for Gujarat by launching a vitriolic attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked people to choose between BJP’s treachery and injustice and Congress’s genuine promises.

Addressing a public rally at Asrana Crossroads in the coastal Mahua town of

Bhavnagar district

on Monday, Gandhi strongly advocated Congress’ minimum income guarantee scheme NYAY which he said was absolutely workable and one that would ‘magically’ revive the economy and lost jobs.

In the blistering heat, the Gandhi scion fired salvos at Modi over issues ranging from demonetization, ‘Gabbar Singh Tax’, joblessness even as he accused the PM of working only for a handful of crorepati industrialists.

On the day when Supreme Court asked him to explain certain remarks regarding Rafale deal that he attributed to the apex court, Gandhi continued his tirade alleging that Modi changed the deal conditions and gave Rs 30,000 crore Anil Ambani, who had no experience of making fighter jets.

Modi calls himself chowkidar. Do farmers, the poor or the jobless need a chowkidar? He is working as

chowkidar

for only Adanis and Ambanis by giving away your land and electricity to them," Gandhi told the gathering that comprised of majority of farmers.

Gandhi said he got the idea of Nyay scheme from Modi’s fake promise of Rs 15 lakh in every account.

"When I heard Modi talking about Rs 15 lakh in every bank account, I knew it was a lie, but the idea was good. After consulting the economists of Congress think tank, we worked out the figure of Rs 72,000 per year for the 20% poorest population," Gandhi said.

The scheme, he said, will be funded from the pockets of Anil Ambani, Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi who have earned crores under Modi’s patronage.

"After note ban, you had no money to spend. This in turn resulted in factories closing down and job losses. But getting Rs 6,000 every month will result in more spending, thus helping to revive factories and bringing back jobs," he explained.

Mahua falls under Amreli Lok Sabha constituency where Congress has chosen its Leader of Opposition in state assembly Paresh Dhanani as candidate.

Talking about the crop insurance issue, he alleged that the money meant for poor farmers is being diverted to Modi’s favourite industrialists.