Rahul Gandhi hits out at Modi for Dalit-picnic remarks

Rahul tried to strike a chord with the electorate, predominantly Sikh and Dalits by effusively praising the Sikh Prime Minister and speaking of his ‘compassion’ for Dalits.

Congress vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Monday hit out at the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for ridiculing his “compassion for the downtrodden and Dalits” and describing his visits to their houses as being “picnics.”

“Modiji and his supporters came here a few days ago and said that I go and eat at Dalits homes; hold their hands, embrace them and have my picnic. If someone eats with them, is it wrong? Have I committed a mistake? You need to understand why he calls it a picnic. He would not go and eat at a Dalit’s house. I will do it because for me it is eating at a another human’s house. This is the difference,” he told the crowd at an impressive rally in Panjgrain Kalan village at Faridkot Parliamentary (reserved) constituency where he campaigned for party candidate Joginder Singh Panjgrain.

“When Modi eats at Adani’s house, is it not a picnic? He gave him land equalling the size of Ludhiana (45,000 acre) at Rs 1 per yard. Was it a toffee that he sold it off for Re 1?” he asked.

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Rahul tried to strike a chord with the electorate, predominantly Sikh and Dalits in this backward district, by effusively praising the Sikh Prime Minister and speaking of his ‘compassion’ for Dalits. “The PM ruled the country for 10 years. He worked very hard but he did not claim credit on a dais. I know him; he would never do that. Now Modiji says nothing happened in India in 60 years. He thinks we are fools and that only one he understands. He is a know-it-all,” Rahul said. He also promised all-round development if voted to power. “If the UPA is voted to power, a farmer’s son will fly an aircraft; a labourer’s son will go to America; a small trader’s son will have units like Tata and Ambanis. While the BJP wants to do something for a select few, we are for everyone,” he added.

He also did not miss taking a dig at the Badals. “India has no dearth of money; we have enough. Like in your state there is a lot of money but it can either go to one family or the poor. We make it a point that it reaches the poor,” he said.

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