Resuming her attack on the Central government in her second rally in less than a week for the Rajasthan Assembly poll slated for November 25, AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday alleged that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi Government’s schemes were empty and hollow.
She said the schemes of the BJP Government don’t surface on the ground unlike those of the Congress-ruled states in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, and Karnataka.
Addressing a mammoth rally at Aradavat town in the Jhunjhunu district, after unveiling a statue of the late Sheesh Ram Ola, a veteran Congress leader and minister in the Indira Gandhi government, Priyanka said, “The BJP has always taken the voters for granted by raking up religious and casteist issues during polls for votes as an electoral strategy.
Referring to her comments made on her visit to Dausa on 20 October on Modi’s envelope, dropped in a cash box of Dev Narayan Temple, which was found containing only Rs 21 when opened by the priests in the presence of TV reporters, Priyanka filed a case against me. “Anyway, what came out from the envelope was expected by everyone,” she added.
Further attacking the prime minister on his performance, she said, “Women’s Reservation Bill is passed but it (the government) would be implemented after ten years. Why then was this Bill passed? It means Modi’s envelope is empty.”
As the Congress leader raised the slogan “Modi ji Ka Lifafa” the public responded with “Khali Hai (it is empty)”.
Citing another instance of this phenomenon, she said when the Congress party talked about the caste census, Modiji kept quiet indicating that Modiji’s envelope was empty.
Ten years have passed since Modiji announced that he would declare Rajasthan’s ERCP Scheme a national project. Now his envelope turned out to be empty, she said. “I say the announcements are hollow and empty as the schemes of the Modi Government are not meant to see the light of the day,” she added.
“In the BJP regime, you (the public) won’t be heard. The party only wants to be in power and secure its future by giving all the money of the poor to only two industrialists who are friends of Modiji. “
She recounted how the Jhunjhunu district developed in education and employment generation in the last 70 years. While public sector companies generated employment, this government (the BJP) sold them to its big corporate friends. If we had given it to all the industrialists, there would have been no problem, it would have increased employment, but this government gave it to select people.”
Lauding the Gehlot Government’s flagship schemes, she said, “Congress promised the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), but the BJP is not ready for it. Modi bought two airplanes worth Rs 16,000 crore for himself. Built a new Parliament building, which was not needed, but they do not have money for the employees
On the rising inflation, Priyanka said, “The Central government did not provide employment. The income of the people is not increasing. On top of it, inflation has increased so much that the state governments have to set up inflation relief camps. If someone falls ill, he can’t afford treatment. To provide relief to people in Rajasthan, the state government provided free treatment by providing insurance of Rs 25 lakh which is not available to people in other states.”
Coming down heavily on the BJP’s alleged sectarian politics, she said, “They have come to understand that there was no need to work, just take the name of religion, caste and garner votes.”
She turned emotional remembering her father and grandmother. “I am the daughter of a martyr, Rajiv Gandhi, and granddaughter of late Mrs. Indira Gandhi. I am proud of my family as people in Jhunjhunu who lost their sons on the border. I know the value of sacrifice given to the country.”