Congress president Rahul Gandhi launched his party's election campaign in poll-bound Rajasthan, largely regarded as a BJP bastion, on Saturday, 11 August.
Flagging off the campaign, the Congress chief launched an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, criticising him of lack of action towards protecting women, farmers and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
“Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of India. His duty is to protect women, farmers, MSMEs, but he doesn't. In UP, a BJP MLA rapes a woman. Instead of protecting the woman, BJP government supports rapists,” Gandhi said in his rally.
Taking on the PM’s promise of jobs made during 2014 election campaign, Congress chief said, “PM Modi promised 2 crore jobs, Rs15 Lakh in every account and women's safety, but failed in all fronts.”
Gandhi also accused PM Modi of burdening MSMEs suffer with government’s move to demonetise currency of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000.
“After Demonetisation, Gabbar Singh Tax too was a burden on small traders. Do you remember 8 November 2016, when PM Modi banned Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes? He did not even listen to the RBI Governor and made MSMEs suffer,” Gandhi said.
“When a big capitalist doesn't pay back loans, they are termed as NPAs, but when a farmers fail to pay back, they are termed as defaulters and are jailed. Mr 56 inch, who gives lengthy sermons, had nothing to say for farmers,” Gandhi said, referring to the PM as Mr 56 inch.
“In the last 2 years, Modi government waived loans worth Rs 2,00,000 crore of only 15 businessmen. I asked for loan waivers for farmers, too. But his response was silence. Anil Ambani has a debt of Rs 45,000 crore. Manohar Parrikar himself admitted to not having any knowledge of the change in deal,” Gandhi said.
Raking up the Rafale deal issue in his rally, Gandhi accused PM Modi of maintaining silence on prices of procuring Rafale aircrafts.
“Anil Ambani's company was formed just a week before the deal and PM Modi personally handed the deal to Reliance. The price of Rafale aircraft was increased by 3 times. When I raised the issue of Rafale Scam and corruption in Parliament, PM Modi did not even spare a minute to answer my questions,” Gandhi said.
After his address to party workers in Ramleela ground, Rahul Gandhi headed to Govind Dev ji temple in Jaipur.
Gandhi arrived at the Jaipur airport and was received by Congress general secretaries Avinash Pandey, also the in-charge of party affairs in Rajasthan, and Ashok Gehlot, and state Congress president Sachin Pilot among others.
Thousands of the party workers have gathered in the city for the Gandhi's road show and a meeting at the Ramlila Ground, reported PTI.
In a schedule put out by Congress, Gandhi is expected to address scores of party workers and leaders at the Ramlila ground where he will reach in a specially designed bus from Jaipur airport.
Before heading to Ramlila ground, Rahul Gandhi conducted a roadshow through the city of Jaipur and along the way, will stop at two of the city’s more famous temples, News18 reported.
“He will seek the blessings of Lord Ganesh and Govind Devji and then move on to Jaipur’s Ramleela Maidan, where he will address party workers and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) delegates from across the state,” Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee’s (RPCC) General Secretary Pankaj Mehta told News18.
"He is coming here to launch the election campaign of the Congress party tomorrow. Gandhi will lead from the front; he will give the message of victory to the party workers and will tell how we are going to campaign in the next three months," Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot told PTI.
The party president, Pilot, said he will receive a historic welcome in Rajasthan.
"Gandhi is coming to Rajasthan for the first time after becoming the Congress president. It is the city where he was elevated as the vice-president of the Congress party, so this place has a lot of significance for the party," he told PTI.
The Rajasthan Congress chief said BJP was already anxious about losing the elections.
"The BJP has always claimed that Jaipur is a city where it remained strong, but we will prove them wrong tomorrow. The BJP is already nervous and making accusations and giving misleading statements," he told PTI.
Gandhi is also expected to address rallies in other parts of the state, which goes to polls at the end of the year.
(With inputs from PTI)
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