Since Nehru, Cong making false promises on poverty

Union minister Nitin Gadkari Thursday attacked the Congress on Thursday saying the party has been making false promises of eradicating poverty for four generations since the time of Jawaharlal Nehru.

The senior BJP leader also asserted that only Prime Minister Narendra Modi can keep the country safe by crushing terrorism and also ensure speedy development and end woes of the poor.

"The Congress ruled the country for decades since Independence. For four generations, its leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru pledged to eradicate poverty, but the promises have been false," Gadkari said.

After Nehru, his daughter Indira Gandhi became the prime minister, gave the slogan of "Garibi Hatao" and launched schemes such as the 20-point programme, but failed to eradicate poverty, the Union minister of road transport and highways said.

Addressing election rallies in Jajpur, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar Lok Sabha constituencies, Gadkari said the same was the story with Rajiv Gandhi and Manmohan Singh as all of them failed to mitigate the plight of the poor.

Referring to the Congress' proposed minimum income scheme NYAY, he said, "Now, the great grandson of Nehru (Rahul Gandhi) is banking on the poll plank of eradicating poverty. How can the people trust him? These people (Congress) have betrayed the poor for so many years by making false promises."