Modiji talks of Modiji 90 per cent time, says Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of quickly putting together its manifesto on the eve of election after facing flak.

Criticising the “Modi model” of development in Gujarat, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “changing” his agenda as the campaign wore on.  Addressing a rally in Modi’s hometown, Vadnagar, Rahul said: “Modiji started (his campaign) with Narmada water, which never reached the farmers and went to 10-15 industrialists. Modiji then changed his focus on Other Backward Classes (OBCs). When nothing worked, he now talks about himself — in his speeches, Modi-ji talks about Narendra Modi 90 per cent of the time. He is now hiding the truth.”

Vadnagar is part of Unjha constituency, which had witnessed violence during the Patidar quota agitation, two years ago.  Sharing the stage with Rahul, Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti spokesperson Atul Patel also attacked Modi for “lying all the time”. “I must say that we have to throw out the BJP to save Gujaratis from the arrogance of BJP and the lies…”

Stating that the Congress and “the truth of Gujarat” have “gheraoed” Modi in the election, Rahul said, “Today, nobody is happy in Gujarat. Even Modiji is not happy in Gujarat.” Rahul then listed out the agitations against the BJP government in the state: by Patidars, backward castes, teachers, anganwadi workers, health workers and tribals.
“You might have heard Modiji’s speech yesterday. For the first time, Modi-ji neither talked about the future of Gujarat, nor corruption, jobs or farmers. Narendra Modi-ji only spoke about Narendra Modi. Modi-ji, I want to tell you, this election is not about you. It is not about me either. It is not about BJP or Congress. This is about the future of the people of Gujarat, and if you give speeches, then speak about the future of the people of Gujarat. “I understand you cannot speak much about the 22-year rule… But at least tell the people what you will do in the next five years,” he said. Rahul accused the BJP of quickly putting together its manifesto on the eve of election after facing flak.

Rahul campaigned for Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, who is contesting as an Independent from Vadgam, Banaskantha district. Addressing a gathering at Kanodar village, Rahul said: “When I met Jignesh, we discussed what Modi-ji speaks about Dalits, Patidars and OBCs. When the atrocities took place on Dalits (referring to flogging of Dalits in Una), they wanted to meet the PM. Did Modi-ji come? Where was he at the time. In London, China or Japan.
“When Patidar women and youngsters were beaten up in their houses, where was he? In China, Japan or America. He was certainly not there. Now, that elections are here, he remembers it,” said Rahul, alleging that atrocities on Dalits have increased in Gujarat.

Addressing a rally at Patidar-dominated Vijapur constituency in Mehsana, north Gujarat, Rahul listed out several villages where land was acquired by the BJP government and allegedly handed over to industrialists. He said, “I want to tell you a bit about what happened in the last 22 years (under the BJP in Gujarat). I have a list of five villages here. Khoda, Bol, North Kotpura, Motipura, Charal. These are five villages where every inch of the land was snatched away by (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and given to Tata Nano factory.” The five villages fall in Ahmedabad district.
As the audience cheered him on, Rahul said the Tata Nano project was given “your water, your power, your money and your land”. He said that the company, which is manufacturing just two Nanos a day, will “stop production” in the coming days. “Go to any of these five villages and ask how many people got employment in the Tata Nano factory. Not a single person got job… This is Modiji’s model,” he said.

“There is a list of five more villages in Kutch — Mundra, Baroni, Luni, Tunda, Siracha — where the story is even more interesting. Here Narendra Modi-ji took away 45,000 hectares…. Do you know at what rate Modi-ji gave the land to (Gautam) Adani-ji? One metre land for one rupee. You go to any corner of the country, you will not get land at that rate. But if your name is Adani-ji, then in Gujarat you will get land at that rate.”