Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing rallies in Satna and Chitrakoot on the first day of his two-day visit to Madhya Pradesh ahead of Assembly polls due later this year.
Rahul accused PM Modi of cheating the people of the country by projecting himself as the country's 'chowkidar' (watchman).
He said Modi had claimed to be a watchman to protect the country's interests but he "turned out to be a 'chowkidar' of (industrialists) Anil Ambani and Vijay Mallya".
“Mitron, I don’t want to be your prime minister. I want to become your ‘chowkidar’. Later, we got to know that he was acting as Anil Ambani’s ‘chowkidar’.”Rahul Gandhi, President, Congress
Rahul’s Rafale Bomb
In his speech at Chitrakoot, Gandhi also accused Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of not speaking the truth on the Rafale deal.
“Lakhs of youth in India could have been employed at HAL... Narendra Modi kept Rs 30,000 crore in Anil Ambani’s pocket... Ex-President of France said that the Indian government and Narendra Modi ji had told us to give the contract to Anil Ambani... Chowkidar helped rob the country. A robbery worth Rs 30,000 crore.”Rahul gandhi, President, Congress
The Congress chief alleged that the price of Rafale fighter plane had shot up to Rs 1600 crore from Rs 526 crore each.
'Finance Minister Let Vijay Mallya Escape'
The Congress president also attacked Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over Mallya’s escape.
“Vijay Mallya fled with Rs 9,000 crore... Arun Jaitley accepted that he met Vijay Mallya in the Parliament and Mallya told him that he was leaving for London. Neither did the finance minister tell this to CBI nor to the Enforcement Directorate. He let Vijay Mallya escape. The prime minister doesn’t utter a word.”Rahul gandhi, President, Congress
'Want to Run Govt by Listening to Your Mann Ki Baat'
"As soon as we come to power, we will change the 'Gabbar Singh Tax' into the real tax. We will implement one tax at lowest rates," the Congress leader promised to the crowd in Madhya Pradesh.
Rahul Gandhi said:
“The Congress party waived Rs 70,000 crore loan. Remember that day because the day we come to power, we will waive loans for farmers. And secondly we will change Gabbar Singh Tax to the real GST. We want to run the government by listening to your ‘Mann ki Baat’.”
Gandhi was addressing a rally at Satna and Chitrakoot in Madhya Pradesh.
He began the tour of the state by offering prayers at the famous Kamta Nath temple in Chitrakoot, a town associated with Lord Rama.
He also conducted a roadshow in Rewa.
(With inputs from PTI)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)