On Modi’s turf, Rahul likens him to ‘arrogant’ Hitler

This was Rahul Gandhi’s first visit to Gujarat after the declaration of election dates and the second visit within a period of one month. His last visit was on February 9 to Bardoli, where Sardar Patel had led the kisan satyagraha during the independence movement. \Balasinor was chosen as a venue for the rally as it was located at the centre of six Lok Sabha constitutencies of Kheda, Anand, the Panchmahals, Dahod, Vadodara and Chhota Udepur.

On Modi’s appeal to make him “chowkidar” of the national treasury, Rahul said: “Congress wants all Hindustanis to be ‘chowkidars’, not only one individual.” He also accused the Modi government of “grabbing” lands from poor farmers and allotting them to rich industrialists at throwaway prices. “Is this chowkidari?’’, he asked. “This is not chowkidari. This amounts to chori (theft),” he said.

He credited the women of Gujarat for the White Revolution and the setting up of Amul and attacked the BJP for claiming credit for the co-operative movement, of which Amul was a consequence. “It will not be surprising if they also claim credit for NREGA, Food Security Act, Right to Education and Right to Information Act etc,” said Gandhi, adding that the BJP leaders lacked “vision and revolutionary ideas”.

In his 30-minute speech, Gandhi referred to Modi’s pet project of building the 182-metre statue of Sardar Patel and said, “It would have been much better if Modi and BJP leaders had also read about what Patel said about RSS. I don’t say they should do PhD on Sardar Patel, but what I want to say is that they should have at least read 10 to 12 pages about the views of Sardar Patel on RSS. Since Modi and BJP leaders have not read about Sardar Patel, I would like to tell them that Sardar Patel had said: ‘RSS ideology is a poisonous ideology, an ideology that will destroy India’”.

Trying to woo women voters, Rahul said: “India will change and become a superpower only if women are empowered.”

Seeking to draw a parallel between BJP’s India Shining campaign in 2004 Lok Sabha polls and its focus on Gujarat’s development under Modi this year, Rahul said it is being publicised in the whole country that Gujarat shines but its sheen is limited to few industrialists and the poor have not benefited from it. “Gujarat is not shining for its women and poor. It is shining only for 10-15 industrialists. The houses and vehicles of industrialists are shining,” he said, slamming Modi’s “Gujarat model of development”.

Targeting Modi on corruption, Rahul said: “Three BJP ministers have been in jail on charges of corruption. Lokayukta in Gujarat was appointed only after Supreme Court’s orders. If Modi is really serious about tackling corruption, why did the BJP take back corrupt former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa? Why did the BJP take back Reddy brothers back to its fold?”, asked Gandhi.

State Congress leaders, including state party president Arjun Modhwadia, the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Shankersinh Vaghela and UPA ministers Dinsha Patel and Bharatsinh Solanki also addressed the rally.