Continuing his high decibel campaign in poll-bound Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a huge rally in Morbi on Wednesday, attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for calling GST 'Gabbar Singh Tax', and said those who looted the country could only think of dacoits.
Addressing another rally at Prachi, Modi attacked the Congress Vice President for his visit to Somnath temple, saying the country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had opposed the idea of building a temple.
Modi also addressed rallies at Palitana and Navsari.
‘Recently Emerged Economist Propagating GST – Grand Stupid Thought’
In a stinging rebuttal to Gandhi’s repeated criticism of the Goods and Services Tax, a key economic reform of the NDA government, Modi said a recently emerged “economist” was propagating a “grand stupid thought” by suggesting that GST rate be capped at 18 percent.
Making a fresh bid for power in his home state, where the BJP has ruled for over two decades, Modi also listed various development works by the government on water conservation, agriculture and development of the Saurashtra region.
He accused the Congress of taking credit for minor schemes, like providing hand-pumps, while saying that the BJP rule brought in major works like the Narmada project.
Making a strong appeal to the people to vote for the BJP in this Patidar community stronghold, Modi said his party should not be voted out for 100 years.
Today, some so called smart people, some new economists have emerged who are misleading people.PM Narendra Modi
"Those who have looted people throughout their life, they can only remember dacoits," Modi said in a reply to Gandhi's 'Gabbar Singh Tax' jibe, recalling the iconic villain from the Bollywood blockbuster Sholay.
He said Gandhi was propagating a 'grand stupid thought' in the name of GST, telling people that they will slash all tax rates and make it 18 percent.
This means 18 percent tax on salt and 18 percent tax on luxury cars costing Rs five crore, he noted.
Ripping into the "anti-poor" Congress over its criticism of the tax reform, Modi said:
What kind of smartness is this... how has such an economist emerged here. You want to make goods used by the poor like clothes, footwear and food costlier, and you want to make cigarettes and liquor cheaper.
He also brought up Rahul Gandhi's grandmother, the late Indira Gandhi.
Recalling the Machhu dam flood tragedy of 1979 in Morbi, the Prime Minister said he had spent one month working in the town after the disaster as an RSS and Jan Sangh worker. He said:
I remember then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had come here and Chitralekha (a local language magazine) had printed her photo with a handkerchief over her nose, trying to avoid the stench, while another photo on the same front page had RSS workers carrying dead bodies.
Slamming Rahul Gandhi’s Visit to Somnath Temple
Criticising Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Somnath temple, the PM, in Prachi, said:
If there was no Sardar Patel, the temple in Somnath would never have been possible. Today, some people are remembering Somnath; I have to ask them – have you forgotten your history? Your family members, our first Prime Minister, was not happy with the idea of a temple being built there.
He said that when Dr Rajendra Prasad was to come to inaugurate the Somnath temple, Pandit Nehru expressed his displeasure.
‘Congress: Anti-Poor and Nepotistic’
Attacking Congress for being anti-poor, the PM, in Palitana, said:
They hate development, they hate Gujarat, they hate Modi, and now, they hate sweat also. That is because they have never had to sweat it out in life and work hard. They are mocking everyone who works hard. This is their mindset. Such hatred for the poor is shocking.
Attacking the Congress for following just one family, Modi, in Navsari, said:
There are three elections going on – one in UP local bodies, one in Gujarat, and the third one for the Congress President. In the first two, the BJP is sure to win. And in the third one, no one except one family will win.
Rahul Gandhi is also in Gujarat, on 29 and 30 November, and is expected to address multiple rallies.
Modi had, on Monday, pushed the BJP's campaign in his home state into a high gear by addressing four back-to-back rallies.
Elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases on 9 and 14 December. The votes will be counted on 18 December.
(With inputs from IANS and PTI.)
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