Priyanka Gandhi Tears Into PM Modi’s ‘Fakiri’; Urges People To Hold Leaders Accountable
Chitrakoot (Madhya Pradesh): Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi today tore into Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claims of being an honest man like a “fakir”. She said, there is no bigger corruption than this, that the country’s wealth has been handed over to a select cronies by the Prime Minister. Ms Gandhi was addressing a huge public meeting at Chitrakoot in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.
“When you handover big public sector companies to crony capitalists for peanuts, you are corrupt, no matter with what name you call yourself, ‘fakir’ or ‘mama’”, she said while referring to Mr Modi describing himself as a ‘fakir’ and the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauvan as ‘Mama’ (maternal uncle).
Ms Gandhi also urged people to hold leaders accountable about what they promise and what they do. Besides, she added, people must not take any leader on face value and start believing whatever he or she says.
The senior Congress leader pointed out, when the employees are demanding the old pension scheme or farmers are seeking loan waivers, the government says it does not have that much money. But, she added, it has enough money to buy two aeroplanes for Prime Minister Modi’s use for Rs 16,000 crores, to construct a new parliament building for Rs 20,000 crores when the existing one was already fine and also to construct a conference hall for Rs 27,000 crores.
Ms Gandhi recalled how during the Prime Ministership of her father, late Rajiv Gandhi, people would question and even scold him for not getting the work done in Amethi. She said, nowadays leaders are treated like Gods and not held accountable and they have started taking everything for granted. Referring to the BJP, she said, the party has been in power in MP for 18 years and ten years at the centre by making false promises or resorting to religion.
Ms Gandhi agreed that religion is a sensitive matter and people are sensitive towards their religion. She said, “doing puja-paath is the right thing to do, but the leaders are supposed to work for people and their real puja-paath should be serving people”. She urged people that they must vote for development.
The Congress general secretary asked people to compare the situation in MP with that of neigbouring Congress-ruled states like Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, which remain best governed.
Listing some guarantees for Madhya Pradesh, she said, farmers loans will be waived off, the way Congress government did during its 15 month tenure before it was stolen by the BJP by corrupt ways. She urged people to ensure that this time Congress gets a big majority so that the BJP will not be able to steal it. Besides, she added, women will be paid Rs 1,500 cash assistance every month.
Ms Gandhi promised that the Congress government will try to fill about two lakh vacancies in various government departments within two years. There will be Rs 25 lakh health insurance and Rs 10 lakhs accident cover for everyone. Under ‘Padho aur padhao’ scheme, not only will the education be free up to class 12, every student will be paid a monthly stipend of Rs 500, Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,500.
Making a fervent appeal to people to vote wisely, so that they will get rid of the “fakirs” and the “Mama Jis”, and elect someone who actually works for them and serves them sincerely.
Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections will be held on November 17, in which a resurgent Congress is up against the two-decade old BJP government led by Shivraj Singh Chauhan. The elections results will be announced on December 3.
