Dwarka/Jamnagar:

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today attacked PM Narendra Modi and his government vehemently on various issues including implementation of GST, demonetization, employment and farmers problems and claimed that his party would form the next government in Gujarat.

Rahul, who started his 3 day Saurashtra tour as the first leg of state wide Navsarjan Gujarat yatra in the poll bound state from the pilgrim town of Dwarka after seeking the blessings of lord Dwarkadheesh and Shankaracharya of Sharda peeth, addressed a few meetings, participated in cot meetings, communicated directly with villagers, farmers and others en route before reaching Jamnagar where also he addressed a meeting. During his visit to Jagat temple in Dwarka he was also shown the years old entries by his grand mother Late Indira Gandhi and father late Rajiv Gandhi in the visitors book.

In his address in Bhatiya, Khambaliya and other places Rahul mostly attacked PM Modi directly.

He alleged that the economy has been hit hard owing to demonetization and the government has failed in keeping its tall promises on the employment front.

Rahul also alleged that despite request by Congress to not to implement GST in a hurry and keep the tax rate uniform and lower, the government did not pay heed to it putting numerous small businessman and traders who also can’t afford to have CAs in great difficulty.

Talking about employment he said, ‘ Every day 30 thousand new youths move out to seek jobs and this number does not include the previous unemployment figures. But the Modi government was able to provide only 400 jobs a day. It talked of providing 2 crore employments and when we asked in the parliament a minister of BJP said that only one lakh jobs have been provided. Farmers across the country were also perplexed and pained. They are not getting adequate price for their produces in Gujarat or elsewhere. Modi government has waived the loan to the tune of 1.30 lakhs of 15 big industrialists but was not doing so for the farmers. In UP it has been done under pressure from Congress.’

Rahul said, ‘ In November last year Modi Ji in his whim and fancy replaced old Rs 500 and 1000 notes with Rs 2000 notes. This demonetization move has destroyed our economy. Farmers don’t buy seeds through digital payment mode neither milk is brought that way. Small businesses and trades are all cash based. Modi ji has destroyed it all. All the money came back to the banks and the thieves were able to launder their black money,’

Hitting out at Gujarat model of development he said, ” you showed faith to Modi ji and BJP and now when I talk to the farmers they say that they don’t get water and electricity while the labourers and small businessmen were virtually weeping. In the Gujarat model the land, water and electricity of farmers have been given to a handful of Industrialists. No body has been benefited from it. The proper education and health facilities were costly and only rich people can afford it. Educational institutions were also being run by a handful of people. This is what they call the Gujarat Model. Now the polls are around the corner and Congress will form the government and I want to announce from the stage that our government would be of youths, farmers, small traders/businessmen. They all will benefit from it”

Taking another dig at PM Modi Rahul said that Gujarat or India has not moved forward owing to any one leader. ‘It has prospered with the sweat and blood of the people,’ he said.

Earlier during another address he took a jibe at the social media’s satire against BJP with tagline Vikas Gando Thayo Chhe (Development has gone mad). He asked the gathering a question about it.

Rahul, who landed at the Mithapur airport near Dwarka in a chartered plane went directly to the temple where he participated in Puja and Aarti and then went to Sharda peeth to seek blessings of Shankracharya before starting his journey in a specially designed luxury bus. Gujarat in-charge of the party and former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, state president Bharatsinh Solanki, former president Siddharth Patel and other senior leaders of the party who earlier welcomed him at the airport were also present with him in the bus which crossed through various villages and towns and traveled over 130 km to reach Jamnagar. Here also he participated in a road show like journey from woolen mill circle to Chandi baazar via collector office, Pandit Nehru road, DVK circle and Ambar Cinema. Before night halt he addressed a meeting in Jamnagar also.

Talking to newsmen in Jamnagar he also reiterated his allegation against Modi government and also alleged that the government was not taking a stable stance on various issues.

Rahul would cover various villages and towns of five districts of Saurasthra before culmination of the yatra in Jetpur on September 27. Rahul will also address several public meetings and interactive meetings with local farmers, women and other commoners during the remaining two days of his trip.

Today during his journey from Dwarka to Jamnagar he also rode a bullock cart to woo the farmers of village Hanjadapara.

Tomorrow ie September 26 he will cross through Dhrol, Latipur and reach Tankara in Morbi district to address a meeting of farmers there. From there he would go to Pipaliya Raj, Sindhavadar, Kankot, Kuwadava, Navagam etc and meet the locals and farmers en route. In Rajkot he would be welcomed at various places including Parevadi chowk, Hospital Chowk, Zila Panchayat Chowk and Mahila college chowk and would have a dialogue with local traders-businessman in Hemu Gadhvi hall there in the evening before night halt that day in Rajkot.

On the third and final day of the first phase of his tour on September 27, Rahul would go to Chotila and have darshan in the famous goddess temple there. He would then move to Aatkot, Mota Dadwa, Rakhoi, Choba etc and meet local woman to listen to their problems. In Jasdan he would meet farmers and then move to Gondal, Virpur, Kagvad, Khodaldham and finally reach Jetpur where the first leg of his tour will end with a big public rally. The second leg of the tour would start from October 4.

DeshGujarat