Modi protected interest of '15 selected people': Rahul Gandhi

Firing a fresh salvo at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday accused him of shielding the interest of "15 selected people" and leaving "high and dry" farmers and the poor.

Gandhi was addressing an election rally here to boost the prospects of the party's candidate for the Kheri Lok Sabha seat Zafar Ali Naqvi and its nominee for the Nighasan assembly bypoll Atal Shukla.

Claiming that Modi during his last visit to Kheri had assured farmers in Uttar Pradesh that they will get their sugarcane dues within 14 days, the Congress chief asked, "Has any assurance come true in five years?"
Taking a jibe at Modi for referring to himself as "chowkidar (watchman)", Gandhi alleged, "This chowkidar obliged 15 selected people during his five-year term but told sugarcane farmers that cane-farming caused sugar (diabetes)."
Raking up the Rafale issue, the Congress chief said, "Anil Ambani, who never manufactured an airplane, was awarded with a Rs 30,000 crore contract, but cane farmers were told that cane-farming caused sugar (diabetes) when they demanded their dues."
Elaborating on his party's minimum income guarantee 'Nyay' scheme, Gandhi said, "The scheme was pronounced after due consultation with economists and think-tanks."
He said, "Unlike notebandi (demonetisation) and 'Gabbar Singh Tax' by Modi government which disturbed the economy and employment, Nyay will benefit the economy by enhancing demand for consumer goods and thus, boosting the manufacturing sector and employment."
Gandhi also assured them "to scrap permission for new entrepreneurship for initial three years to boost self employment."
Raising the issue of stray cattle in UP, he said, "The Modi government has made every farmer chowkidar of their crops and he (PM) himself became the chowkidar of Ambani."
He claimed that his party will form government at the Centre and that "after the Lok Sabha polls, the next target was (UP) assembly elections (in 2022) to ensure that the state is at the top in education, health and employment as before."