Bettiah (Bihar), Oct 28 (IANS): Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday that effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi were burnt in Punjab on Dussehra, and not that of 'Ravan'. He said that burning the effigy of the Prime Minister was sad, but the youth are angry with him.
Addressing an election meeting in Valmikinagar, Rahul praised Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, while targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Rahul said that the goal of lockdown and demonetisation was the same. He said that in demonetisation, Modi took money out of your pocket and gave it to five big industrialists of the country and during the lockdown the business of small and medium scale businessmen came to a halt while the debts of the industrialists were waived.
Raising the issue of the new agricultural laws, Rahul said that effigies of 'Ravan' are usually burnt on Dussehra, but this time in Punjab the effigies of the Prime Minister and industrialists were burnt. He said, "It is sad, but it is happening because the farmer is upset, the youth is angry."
He blamed Nitish Kumar and the Prime Minister for unemployment in Bihar and in the country, saying that people of Bihar get jobs in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Bengaluru but not in Bihar.
He said that the farmers and youth of Bihar are hardworking, that's why Mahatma Gandhi first came to Champaran to drive away the British. The Congress leader accused the leaders of the NDA of telling lies. "Some years ago Prime Minister Narendra Modi came here and said that this is a sugarcane area, I will start a sugar mill and when I come next time, I will have tea mixing sugar in it which is produced here. Did he have tea with you?"
Praising Tejashwi Yadav, Rahul said that the Congress is contesting elections in the Grand Alliance with the RJD and many other parties. Youth leaders of the Grand Alliance are contesting and want to give a new vision. They want to give employment to the youth.
He appealed for votes for the Grand Alliance and said that the leaders of the ruling National Democratic Alliance lie. Earlier, there was talk of two crore jobs. Rahul said that now if PM Modi comes here and speaks about two crore jobs, maybe the crowd would drive him away.