Congress workers burn an effigy of PM Narendra Modi during their protest against tax on EPF.
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Mr Gandhi had lashed out at PM Modi for resorting to “personal attacks” instead of answering questions on pressing issues he had asked and asserted that he will not been cowed down by it.
In remarks on Modi’s style of functioning, the Congress Vice President accused him of not listening to anyone’s opinion including that of his ministers and MPs. In the 75-minute speech, Modi, however, did not spare Rahul.
Rahul referred to the four questions he had raised in his speech in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
“You say the GST Bill was brought by you, so why don’t you help us in passing it?”
“Some people grow old. Wherever they go, they create tension and make people fight”, Gandhi alleged.
While elaborating, he appeared to suggest that top Congress leadership was not allowing “young” and “bright” leaders to emerge fearing that they may overshadow Rahul.
Rahul said people fighting for the poor and the weaker sections were branded traitors and those working for the rich and a select group of industrialists were called patriots. “We know why this Government is targeting JNU… because 40% students come from families whose income is below Rs 6,000”.
Continuing in the same vein, Modi mocked Gandhi for showing disrespect to his party seniors by recalling how the Congress leader had publicly torn a copy of an ordinance which had been approved by the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government.
He referred to the Railway Budget and said it had nothing for the state. He pinpointed issues like public toilets, rural electrification and social welfare schemes like MGNREGA and said it was because the Congress’s work did not meet the targets that it his government had to take up the responsibility of doing some real service to the country.
He used the Bihar results where the BJP was defeated to hit out at Modi, adding that the saffron party will suffer a similar defeat in Assam. “He does not give answers, but only makes promises which are hollow”, he said.
BJP MP, Meenakshi Lekhi said, “Congress should go back to 26/11, when their CM ws roaming around with a Film Dir & HM was going on changing clothes”.
“Our North East Chief Ministers were stunned”.
Gandhi was addressing a rally in Assam’s Nagaon, ahead of state polls. “Khrushchev asked who asked that question and there was silence”.
“Why can’t we have time set aside where only first time MPs can speak”.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday quoted Congress leaders – Rajiv Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi- to urge the opposition to let Parliament function “peacefully and responsibly”.
