Rahul corners PM Modi over Gorakhpur tragedy, J-K unrest

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday cornered Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over various issues including the recent Gorakhpur tragedy.

Mentioning the recent Gorakhpur tragedy where more than 70 children succumbed to encephalitis at Baba Raghav Das Medical College hospital, Rahul said the incident highlights the poor healthcare policies of the Modi government.

"Prime Minister Modi did not tell you that more than 90 babies died in Gorakhpur due to his healthcare policies. His Government has cut healthcare budget and the hospital could not buy oxygen cylinders for the babies," Rahul said in Bengaluru.

Further cornering the Centre over the Jammu and Kashmir unrest, Rahul said, his government tried to bring peace in the state during its regime but it was ruined by the Modi government in a month.

"We worked hard in 10 years to bring peace to Jammu and Kashmir, it was all destroyed in one month by Modi Government," he added.

The Congress president also took a jibe at Prime Minister's Independence Day address and said he had skipped to mention many important issues in his speech.

"Congress president Sonia Gandhi went to PM's speech at Red fort on August 15, she told me later that it was a very short speech. Modi Ji is reducing the duration of his speeches, as now he has nothing to talk about," he said.

Rahul also slammed the Central government for its misleading promises of providing employment opportunities to the youth.

"The Prime Minister did not tell you on August 15, that today the rate of unemployment is highest in eight years. He had promised two crore jobs yearly," he added.

He also hit out at the Centre for growing disparity with the neighbouring countries including China, Pakistan and said the ruling dispensation has created problems with friendly nations.

For the first time Russia is selling arms to Pakistan. In last three years Modi Government has created problems with friendly nations. All neighbours except Pakistan and China were our allies, but this has changed now. Nepal alienated, China building port in Sri Lanka," he said.