'Foolishness' of demonetisation, 'Gabbar Singh Tax' not done by anyone in 70 years: Rahul

Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accusing the Congress of doing "nothing" while in power, party president Rahul Gandhi said Saturday nobody had committed the "foolishness" of demonetisation and the "Gabbar Singh Tax" in the last 70 years.

Addressing rallies in Raebareli and Amethi constituencies of Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi also assured the people that implementing the minimum income guarantee scheme, Nyay, was possible.

"In the past 70 years, the foolishness of demonetisation and Gabbar Singh Tax (Gandhi's coinage for the goods and services tax or the GST) was not done by anyone," he said at a rally in Unchahar town of Raebareli district, where United Progressive Alliance chairperson and his mother, Sonia Gandhi, is seeking re-election.

The Congress chief's remarks come against the backdrop Modi repeatedly holding the grand old party responsible for all the "ills" since the country got Independence.

"The 'chowkidar' (watchman) has done 'chori' (theft) of factories and employment of people of Raebareli and Amethi," Rahul Gandhi said.

"Where are Anil Ambani, Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya, Lalit Modi - in jail or outside?" he asked.

Rahul Gandhi also accused Modi of not wanting to fill 22 lakh vacant government posts. "Some 22 lakh jobs are vacant in the government. Modi did not want to fill these vacant posts and only wants to help his friends. We will give these 22 lakh jobs in one year and 10 lakh jobs in panchayats," he said.

Referring to demonetisation, Rahul Gandhi said the Congress would put back money in the people's pocket. "Modi has taken away money from your house, lied, fooled you and made you stand in queues, telling you that it is a fight against corruption and black money. He fooled the country and took money from your pocket for a 'chor' (thief) like Anil Ambani," the Congress chief said.

"Have you seen 'Hindustan ke chor' Anil Ambani, Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya standing in a line?" he asked the gathering.

Rahul Gandhi said when people get money, they would start making purchases. "After demonetisation, you stopped purchasing and factories stopped manufacturing, giving rise to unemployment. Our 'Nyay' will give jobs," he said.

The Nyuntam Aay Yojana (Nyay) is the Congress' ambitious scheme that assures up to Rs 72,000 a year or Rs 6,000 a month to 20 per cent of India's poorest families.

"Whatever we do is well thought-out. It's impossible to give Rs 15 lakh in every bank account as the economy will collapse. But giving Rs 3.60 lakh individually is possible in five years with Rs 72,000 per year," the Congress leader said.

He also spoke about the Congress' manifesto promises. "If a farmer of Raebareli takes loan of Rs 20,000 and is unable to repay, he is sent to jail. From 2019, when our government will come to power, no farmer will be sent to jail in such cases," Rahul Gandhi said.

"We will bring a separate farmers' budget in which they will get to know MSP (minimum support price), compensation for crop damage in storms, insurance details and what they will get when they suffer losses," he added.

Rahul Gandhi alleged that in the present BJP regime, the money from crop insurance was not given to farmers. "Entire work of insurance has been given to people like Anil Ambani. You give money for insurance, but when you face loss, you are not compensated. Rs 10,000 crore have been taken from farmers and given to people like Anil Ambani...," he said.

The Congress chief alleged that work on a railway line, railway factory and a food park was stopped in Amethi. "I have the list of all the works which were stopped by this government. I will do double work for Raebareli and Amethi, and ensure employment for the people," he said.

Referring to the Rafale deal, Rahul Gandhi asked: "Why Rs 30,000 crore was given to Anil Ambani? The contract was taken away from HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited), Amethi."
Addressing a public meeting in Gauriganj town of Amethi district, the Congress chief said: "Narendra Modi had put entire India on queues following the implementation of demonetisation. And by implementing the 'Gabbar Singh Tax', the trade and business got destroyed."