JAIPUR, 10 Sep: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra flayed the BJP-led government at the Centre on Sunday, saying that its policies are meant to benefit the rich and not the poor.
Addressing a Congress rally in Niwai in Tonk district of poll-bound Rajasthan, Vadra alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi goes on foreign trips and strikes deals for his “industrialist friends.”
“Modi comes back from abroad and says our (India’s) respect has gone up. Later, we get to know that he made deals for his industrialist friends,” she said.
For everything, he keeps the interests of his industrialist friends above that of the public, she said.
The Congress general secretary alleged that the BJP’s only focus is to remain in power, whereas the poor and middle class are being neglected.
Referring to “waterlogging” at the venue of the G20 summit in Delhi, she took a swipe at the prime minister and said, “Perhaps, the god has said what the people of our country are not able to say out of fear – reduce your ego, this country has made you a leader, put the country first, make the people supreme.”
The assembly polls in Rajasthan are due later this year.
The Congress leader said that politicians should have the same kind of respect for people that people display when they go to temples.
“It is important for the public and the leaders to understand this. When people assume power, their ambitions get ahead of them,” she said.
Gandhi said that the BJP leaders have become so arrogant that they have forgotten these things.
She said that, when houses were damaged due to rain in Himachal Pradesh, the price of cement needed to reconstruct the structures was increased by the Adani Group and the rates of apples were decreased when farmers went to sell those. She alleged that this happened at the behest of the prime minister.
“The prime minister, who used to call himself a ‘bhumiputra’, is moving in a convoy worth crores,” Vadra said.
She said that the oil companies have made huge profits but the prices of fuel are still very high and inflation is skyrocketing.
The Congress leader said that, when people were struggling with inflation, the Rajasthan government organised relief camps.
“Why has this situation arisen in the country that the state government had to organise inflation relief camps? Why is fuel so expensive when the companies are earning profits? You will have to raise these questions,” she said.
Vadra also hit out at the Modi government over the Agniveer scheme for recruitment into the armed forces.
“The BJP government has taken away your rights in eight years. Pensions have been cut, the chances of Army recruitment have disappeared. He (Modi) has brought the Agniveer scheme and is moving in big convoys himself,” she said.
Gandhi said that, when big expenses are made, people have to bear the brunt.
“When they spend big, who suffers the loss? The money that should be spent on your welfare does not come,” she said. (PTI)
