Journalism of Courage
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday claimed in Palamu district’s Panki that the Narendra Modi government because industrialists angry with the Congress government donated money.
He went on to warn that the various progressive laws passed by the preceding Union government would now be diluted by the current one.
Gandhi, who was addressing a rally to campaign for the party’s assembly election candidate Bidesh Singh, said that the Congress government had given a number of rights to the people. He named various laws like the Land Acquisition Act, Rights to Information and Food, and the MNREGA to make his point.
“When they saw this the industrialists were angry. They gave thousands of crores to make sure Narendra Modi became Prime Minister,” said Rahul Gandhi.
Gandhi talked in detail of the land acquisition law passed by the government headed by his party, pointing out that the land owner could get up to four times the market rate when his land is acquired.
“Now, one by one, all such rights will be taken away by this new government,” he warned.
Gandhi then told his audience that his party would take the People’s side when it comes to protecting their rights: “Your fight for jal, jangal is our fight; the Congress party’s fight.”
The Congress VP called the Union government a one-man affair: “He says, give me all your rights and I will take care of your country…. Ministers and MPs have no power. Modi and 5-6 bureaucrats have all the power in the country.”
Gandhi promised a Congress government in the state would function differently. “Our government will not be for any one industrialist or chief minister; it will be of the people.”
Gandhi also attacked the cleanliness campaign taken up by PM Modi. “He said achhe din aa gaye, then he gave you a broom and asked you to sweep,” he said. Gandhi had earlier addressed a rally on behalf of the Congress’s candidate in Manika, Latehar.
