Tragic to see government spending resources on industrialists but not on farmers, says Priyanka

It is tragic to see the Central government spending 'time and resources' on industrialists, but not on farmers, said Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra here on Saturday.

Coming down heavily on BJP-led Central government, Priyanka said: "When a government ignores the needs of the people; writes off loans of big industrialists to the tune of Rs 3,17,000 crore, hose loans, but does not have time to help and support farmers like you, people who are struggling and suffering to feed the country, and to make a country grow, it is truly a tragedy and a shame."

Priyanka, who was addressing an election rally here, also termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "weak leader," who does not have the courage to listen to the voice of the people of the country.

"A leader who does not have the courage to listen to the voice of the people, a leader who wants to suppress people when they protest, when they agitate, and when they ask for their rights, a leader who claims that he is a nationalist while suppressing his own people, a leader who comes to you during the elections and speaks about Pakistan, but will not speak about what he will do for you, about why he has not fulfilled his promises to you, is not a nationalist. He is not a strong leader. He is a weak leader," said she.

Priyanka also said that a huge wave of propaganda is being spread in the country on behalf of "one leader."

"Everywhere you look, you open the newspapers, you see advertisements about the BJP and their leadership, you see only one leader's face on those ads. You switch the TV on and all you hear is about that leader and about that party. You travel in the train, you get the tiffin box with his face on them. Everywhere you go, there is strong publicity and huge waves of propaganda on his behalf," said Priyanka.

This was Priyanka's third public rally in Kerala on Saturday. Earlier in the day, while speaking at a rally in Wayanad from where Congress president Rahul Gandhi is contesting apart from Amethi, Priyanka accused the BJP of maligning his brother's image.

Kerala, where 20 Lok Sabha seats are at stake, will go to polls on April 23, the third phase of seven-phased elections. The counting of votes will begin on May 23.