Modi, Rahul exchange barbs as election campaign hots up

KOLKATA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on the Nehru-Gandhi family, accusing it of running “dynastic rule under the disguise of democracy for 55 years since the country’s Independence” and urged people to re-elect the BJP government that has made many “impossible possible” in the last five years.

Without naming the family, Modi said the dynasty politics practiced by them “strangulated the aspirations of the youth, destroyed the dreams of the poor and poisoned the atmosphere of brotherhood with communalism.” “Dynasty ruled the nation in the disguise of democracy. There was dynastic rule in India for 55 out of 72 years since its Independence. Democracy has prevailed for 15-16 years at most.”

Meanwhile, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that while the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP government has failed to deposit the promised Rs15 lakh into everyone’s bank account, he has given Rs30,000 crore to an industrialist friend.

“Modiji announced in 2014 that everyone will be given Rs15 lakhs in their bank accounts. However, not a single penny got deposited in last five years. That was a lie. I am assuring that 20 per cent of the country’s extremely poor people will be given Rs72,000 each every year. The amount will be deposited in the account of the women of the family. This is truth, we don’t lie,” he said while addressing a public rally in Assam’s Bokakhat area on Wednesday.

He also appealed to the people to ensure victory of the Congress candidate so that the attack of the RSS on the language, culture and history of Assam could be stopped.

Gandhi was campaigning for Congress’ sitting Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi, who is contesting from the Kaliabar Lok Sabha seat for a second consecutive term.

“Narendra Modi has started asking questions as to from where the money will come. I am going to tell you from where the money will come. Modiji has given Rs30,000 crore from the Indian Air Force to Anil Ambani, we are going to get that money and distribute among the 20 per cent extremely poor people of the country,” he said.

Whereas, Taking a dig at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, Modi said that Bengal, which once showed the way to the entire nation, was now suffering under the pressure of the dynastic rule of “aunt and nephew”.

“Bengal is also suffering under the pressure of dynastic rule. Aunt and nephew are together looting the resources of Bengal and doing injustice to the people,” the Prime Minister said.

Giving an account of the significant achievements of his government in the last five years, Modi said the current regime has proved that it has the will power to make all the “impossible possible”.

“Starting from surgical strike, air strike or the strike on the space satellite, India is doing things that we only dreamt of five years ago. Did anybody ever think of getting income tax exemption on annual income of up to Rs5 lakh or 10 per cent reservation for the poor,” he asked.

“Did anyone think that corruption charges on the family that considers themselves to be the destiny makers of India could be probed? But now the whole family is on bail because impossible is now possible,” Modi said, taking a veiled dig at the Gandhi family.

Terming the BJP government’s effort to implement the Citizenship Amendment Bill in northeast as an attack, Gandhi said that the Congress has kept its promise of opposing the Citizenship Bill. “The CAB is an attack on the culture, thought and Independence of the people here. We stood by the people of the northeast during the CAB protests and ensured that it is not passed in Rajya Sabha,” said Gandhi.

Attacking the BJP further, Gandhi said while Modiji had assured to create 2 crore employment opportunities, the country is at present witnessing highest unemployment rate in 45 last years. “He promised Achche din ayenge but acheche din chale gaye. He (Modi) terms himself as chowkidar, but we say chowkidar chor hain,” said Gandhi.

“Modiji imposed Gabbar Singh Tax, which is affecting the small and medium size businessmen across the country. The moment our government comes we will abolish the Gabbar Singh Tax and implement easy and minimum GST.

Indo-Asian News Service