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

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday accused him of protecting the interest of "15 selected people", while ignoring the farmers and the poor.

"This chowkidar obliged 15 selected people during his five-year term but told sugarcane farmers that cane-farming caused 'sugar' (diabetes)," Gandhi alleged.

The diabetes remark is usually attributed to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

"Narendra Modi in 2014 made a number of false assurances, on 'achhe din' (better days), two crore jobs, Rs 15 lakh in every bank account. But none of them came true," Gandhi said at an election rally in the Kheri Lok sabha constituency.

The rally was organised in support of Zafar Ali Naqvi, the party's candidate for the constituency, and its nominee for the Nighasan assembly bypoll, Atal Shukla.

He also addressed a meeting in Unnao. Gandhi repeated allegations of irregularities in the Rafale aircraft deal, which the government has denied.

"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," he alleged.

The government has repeatedly denied any corruption in the Rafale deal.

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 the 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 the 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."
Later, addressing the election meeting in Unnao, Rahul Gandhi targeted Modi and said, "Five years ago, there was a slogan 'achche din aayenge', but now there is a slogan 'chowkidar chor hai'."