Govt in Gujarat will be run by Gujaratis, not remote control: Rahul Gandhi in attack on PM Modi, Amit Shah

Gujaratis who are in Gujarat will run the state government, which will not be controlled from New Delhi via a remote control, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said on Day 2 of his visit to the poll-bound state.

IndiaToday.in  | Edited by Dev Goswami
New Delhi, September 26, 2017 | UPDATED 13:16 IST
Rahul Gandhi is currently in Gujarat before the state election (Photo: Twitter/Congress)Rahul Gandhi is currently in Gujarat before the state election (Photo: Twitter/Congress)

Highlights

  • 1
    Gujarat government will be run by Gujarati people in Gujarat: Rahul Gandhi
  • 2
    Under Congress, Gujarat will not be run from New Delhi via remote control: Gandhi
  • 3
    Gandhi is in Gujarat ahead of the state's assembly election later this year.

Gujarat's government will be by Gujaratis in Gujarat, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said today in a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.

Gandhi, speaking from a campaign bus in Gujarat, worded his sentence carefully, perhaps to avoid criticism linked to the fact that PM Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah are both Gujaratis.

However, that Modi and Shah were the target of Gandhi's message was made clear when the Congress vice-president said that Gujarat's government, under his party, would not be run by New Delhi by a 'remote control'.

Rahul Gandhi on Monday kicked off the Congress's poll campaign in Gujarat by attacking PM Modi over note ban, GST, farm policies and 'Gujarat model' of development.

Talking to journalists on arrival in Jamnagar for a road show on the first day of his three-day tour of Gujarat, Gandhi said people are regretting having voted for the BJP.

"There is a strong undercurrent in favour of Congress in Gujarat. People want change and Congress will definitely come to power this time. People of Gujarat are unhappy with the ruling party as they feel cheated after giving their votes to the BJP," said Gandhi, adding that Congress will help Gujarat develop.

The Congress is out of power in Gujarat for over two decades. The 47-year-old Congress leader, who started the day by offering prayers at the famous Dwarkadhish Temple in Dwarka, interacted with people during his trip from the holy city to Jamnagar, passing through Saurashtra region.

In his short speeches at various places, Gandhi assailed Modi over demonetisation and a host of other issues. Traveling in a especially-designed bus, he interacted with villagers at many places.

Gandhi came down heavily on Gujarat's BJP government on the issue of privatisation. "Privatisation is happening in every sector under this government, be it education or health sector. Due to this policy of the BJP government, poor people are not getting education or health services," Gandhi said.

He promised free medicines and medical treatment if the Congress is voted to power in Gujarat. Accusing the BJP government of being "anti-farmer", Gandhi also demanded that the government announce complete farm loan waiver in Gujarat.

(With PTI inputs)

"If the government can waive loans given to businessmen, why not farmers? The Indian government gave away Rs 1.30 lakh crore to 15 large business houses while Rs 7 lakh crore in loans were not returned to banks. They (businessmen) will get all the benefits, while you (farmers) will be jailed for not repaying loans," Gandhi said.

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