Daijiworld Media Network – Hosapete
Hosapete, May 20: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) follows a model where the nation's wealth is concentrated in the hands of a select few billionaires, whereas the Congress model directly transfers money to the bank accounts and pockets of the poor, said Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday.
He was speaking at the ‘Sadhana Samavesha’ organised to mark the completion of two years of the Congress government in Karnataka. During the event, over one lakh eligible beneficiaries were issued title deeds, and their unauthorised settlements were officially recognised as revenue villages.
"The Congress government has completed two years. During the elections, we promised you five guarantees. The BJP said we wouldn't deliver on them. The Prime Minister claimed it was impossible. But we have fulfilled every promise we made," Rahul Gandhi said.
Listing the five guarantee schemes implemented by the Congress government, he added, "We had assured you that money would be transferred directly into the bank accounts of Karnataka’s poor. Today, thousands of crores are being credited directly. This money is being used for your children's education, your healthcare — exactly what we intended. Your money is going back into your pockets."
Gandhi contrasted the Congress and BJP approaches, stating, “The BJP wants all the nation's wealth to reach just a handful of people. But we want that money to reach the pockets of the poor, the marginalised, Dalits, and Adivasis. When money reaches your pockets, it flows into the market, boosts production, and circulates through villages and towns, ultimately benefiting Karnataka’s economy.”
He accused the BJP of channelling public money to only two or three billionaires who, unlike ordinary citizens, do not spend that money in local economies. “They purchase properties in places like London and New York, not in our villages or towns,” he remarked.
“In the BJP model, your money ends up with a privileged few, creating joblessness. In our model, jobs are created. Their model leaves you struggling for healthcare, forcing you into debt. Our model ensures you have money in your pocket and access to treatment. Under the BJP, families pay lakhs in private schools and universities and fall into debt. We, on the other hand, put that money back into your hands,” he said.
The event was attended by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, and several ministers and party leaders.