Addressing a press conference on Saturday, 4 May, Congress President Rahul Gandhi took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP on a variety of subjects ranging from jobs to corruption.
He once again challenged the prime minister to a debate on these issues, saying that he was ready to debate anywhere, ‘except Anil Ambani’s house.’
“I have told him, debate with me on employment, on corruption… give me just ten minutes. I can debate with you anywhere, anywhere you want, just not Anil Ambani’s house.”
Training his guns at the government, Gandhi reiterated that the biggest problem in the country at the moment was unemployment. “Country is asking that Modi ji you promised us 2 crore jobs,what about that? He doesn't speak a word on jobs or farmers as he has nothing to say,” he said.
Lashing out at the prime minister for ridiculing the Congress’s claims of having conducted surgical strikes in the UPA era, Gandhi said:
“The Army, Air Force or Navy are not personal properties of Narendra Modi ji like he thinks. When he says that surgical strikes during UPA were done in video games then he is not insulting Congress but the Army.”
Gandhi said that while he had apologised for having wrongly attributed the ‘Chowkidar chor hai’ slogan to the Supreme Court, the party will continue to use it as their catchphrase.
He also took a jab at the BJP over the release of Masood Azhar in 1999, stating that while the UN might have now designated him a global terrorist, it was the BJP that had released him in 1999.
“Who sent Masood Azhar to Pakistan? Did Congress send him to Pakistan? Which government negotiated with terrorism? Congress didn't send him there. The reality is that BJP compromises with terrorism,” he said.
He then said while Modi was considered invincible five years, ago, it was not so anymore.
“Congress party has demolished Narendra Modi ji, it is a hollow structure and in 10-20 days, it will come crumbling down,” he said.
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