Rahul targets Modi, Chouhan in poll-bound MP

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Rafale, demonetisation and rising oil prices.

"The next time Modiji comes here, ask him why he bought a Rs 526 crore jet for Rs 1,600 crore? Why he snatched contract from HAL and gave it to his industrial friend? The UPA had given the contract to HAL so that youth from Bengaluru and from Madhya Pradesh could get jobs. But Modiji came and snatched that contract from HAL," Gandhi said addressing a rally in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh.

He said that Modi "wrote off Rs 1,50,000 crore of loan of his 15 industrial friends" but refused to waive small loans of the farmers.

"If the Congress is voted to power, we will waive farmers' loan within 10 days. It would not be put off for the 11th day, I assure you," he said.

Targeting Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Gandhi said that people have started calling Chouhan as "announcement machine" as he has made around 20,000 announcements (of development/welfare schemes) without fulfilling most of them.

"The Chief Minister says the state's roads are better than US roads. The fact is there are more potholes than the road. You cannot travel here," he said.

He said half of the total workforce in the state is working on contractual basis. In the absence of permanent jobs, their future is uncertain.

"Modiji says beti padhao (educate the girl child). But where? Where are the schools in this state? And beti bachao (save the girls) from Modiji's MLAs who are out to violate their dignity," Gandhi said.

Gandhi said that if his party is elected to power in Madhya Pradesh, the Chief Minister would listen to the common people's 'mann ki baat' and would work to build the future of state's children.

"Our Chief Minister will not keep telling you only his 'mann ki baat'. He will listen to your 'mann ki baat'...He will work to build the future of your children," Gandhi said addressing a gathering here.

He also promised to waive the farmers' loan "within 10 days" of coming to power.

--IANS

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