PM's friends made profits of Rs 10,000 cr in 5 yrs while farmers were suffering: Priyanka

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged on Friday that while farmers were suffering, Rs 5.5 lakh crore of big industrialists were waived by the BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's friends had registered profits of Rs 10,000 crore in the last five years.

Addressing an election meeting here, she also hit out at Modi, saying that he talked about Pakistan and other "absurd" issues, but never about the problems of the people.

The Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh termed the current Bharatiya Janata Party-led government "arrogant", alleging that it spreads anger, hatred and negativity.

She alleged that when farmers of a number of states, including Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and Maharashtra, went to Delhi to stage a protest, the prime minister did not come out of his bungalow for even five minutes to hear their grievances.

"Now they are highlighting the 'Kisan Samman Yojana' and promising Rs 6,000 per year. When the Congress asked the government to waive farm loans, it was said that there was no money in the economy.

"If you did not have money, how were Rs 5.5 lakh crore of big industrialists waived? Where does the insurance money of farmers go? While you (farmers) were suffering, the companies of the prime minister's friends recorded profits of Rs 10,000 crore in the last five years," the Congress leader alleged.

Claiming that the Congress governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh had waived farm loans, she said, "When the intention is good, loan waiver starts in three days, but when the intention is bad, the arrogant leader talks big and leaves."