As campaigning for the upcoming Rajasthan election intensifies, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of working for billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani “round-the-clock”.
Instead of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, the prime minister should say ‘Adani ji Ki Jai’ because he works for him, Gandhi charged at an election rally in Bundi.
The former Congress chief said the poor, farmers, labourers are ‘Bharat Mata’ and the ‘Jai’ of Bharat Mata will be when the participation of these sections will be ensured in the country.
He also accused the prime minister of wanting to make two ‘Hindustans’, one for Adani and the other for the poor.
The Congress MP also asserted that the Congress party will coduct a caste census. “Modi will not conduct a caste census no matter what. Rahul Gandhi and Congress party can do this,” he asserted.
The Congress has been targeting the Adani group, accusing it of benefitting from the BJP government, and has been demanding a JPC probe into the allegations made by a US Research group Hindenburg.
In January this year, Hindenburg alleged that Adani’s conglomerate was pulling off the “largest con in corporate history”. The American company claimed that Adani Group has been involved in accounting fraud, improper use of tax havens and money laundering. The Adani Group has rejected the allegations against it.
Ashok Gehlot takes potshot at BJP
Meanwhile, taking potshots at the BJP, Chief Minister and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot alleged that the saffron party is misusing the Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax department for political gains.
He said that the people of the state understand this and will give a befitting reply to the BJP in the upcoming polls, Gehlot said at the PCC office in Jaipur after paying tributes to former prime minister Indira Gandhi on her birth anniversary
He accused BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena, who is contesting elections from the Sawai Madhopur seat, of making fake complaints to the ED and Income tax, adding that the central agencies were working in connivance with Meena for one year in Rajasthan.
“They have ED and we have our guarantees,” Gehlot said while referring to the seven guarantees promised by him to people of the state.
The seven guarantees include an annual honorarium of Rs 10,000 to women head of family, LPG cylinders for Rs 500 to 1.05 crore families, law for old pension scheme for government employees, laptop or tablet to students taking admission in government colleges, insurance cover up to Rs 15 lakh per family to compensate losses due to natural calamity and school education in English medium.
Rajasthan goes to polls on November 25 and counting of votes will be on December 3.
(With PTI inputs)