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Journalism of Courage
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday urged voters to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, she said, had become arrogant after coming to power.
Addressing her first election rally in Maharashtra at Latur’s Udagir, she said, “A leader has a habit of becoming arrogant after coming to power. The leader changes, which is being witnessed in Narendra Modi. The arrogance is so much that he is not bothered about you (people). So much arrogance that even advisors are not able to tell him the truth and fabricating lies. Even advisors are not able to tell him that people are suffering from inflation. Everybody is scared… it is time to change the government,” she said, campaigning for Congress candidate Shivaji Kolge.
Priyanka said that after 10 years in power, another vote for this government would mean the return of leaders who consider themselves above the country’s people. “In this country, in a democracy, ordinary people occupy the highest position. I used to travel with Indira Gandhi, Rajiv gandhi. People used to question them. Ask them about roads not being built. This was the tradition. Mahatma Gandhi used to go among the people. No leader has been so arrogant who felt that he would show up only on dais, in some inaugurations, with foreign leaders and never among you and yet get elected,” she said.
Attacking Modi over his criticism of the Congress and its rule in the country, Priyanka said had the PM performed in the last 10 years, he would have asked for votes on his work. “How long will you be blaming the Congress? Sometimes he attacks a family, sometimes a party. If everything is to be blamed on others, then why did you become the PM,” she asked.
Ridiculing Modi’s comment on the Congress snatching mangalsutra from women, Priyanka compared him to a family uncle whom everybody listens for some entertainment in family functions. “Country’s PM is speaking this from a dais without realising his post’s dignity. Why are you falling for it? India’s past PMs never stooped so low,” she said.
