No link between GST, National Herald issues: Rahul Gandhi

“You should ask them (BJP) what happened to the Rs 15 lakh in each countryman’s account that Modi was supposed to deposit after bringing back black money from abroad. You should ask them why they withdrew special states status for Northeastern states. You should ask them what happened to funds that the UPA government gave to the Northeast. Once you ask them these questions, the BJP leaders will all go back to Delhi,” Rahul said.

Rahul reached Guwahati at 11.40 am and began his padyatra from Vaishnavite Satra in Barpeta town and marched about 7 km to Medhirtari, a Muslim-dominated village, with hundreds of Congress workers following him.

In Guwahati, Rahul said his party is for the GST bill if differences are resolved. “There is no link between National Herald and GST. Congress had brought in the GST. Modiji and Jaitleyji had opposed it,” he said. “GST is important because it makes India less complicated. It removes red tapeism. We are hundred per cent proposers of GST,” he said. At Medhirtari, CM Tarun Gogoi joined Rahul.

“While the Congress believes in uniting people, the BJP divides them. PM Modi has only one card in his pocket, that is to put one Indian against another,” he said. “What happened to the crores of jobs Modi promised during the 2014 polls? Now people laugh at his hollow promises,” he said. Rahul said Gogoi had ended “violence and killings” and “brought back peace” to the state.

State BJP president and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said Rahul Gandhi would not be able to help the Congress in Assam even if he undertakes a 1,000-km padayatra. “The Congress in Assam is a pack of frustrated leaders… The people have made up minds to elect a BJP government.”

(— With PTI inputs)