MP polls: Rahul slams BJP over Union minister’s son’s video, asks what action has Modi govt taken

PTI, Nov 13, 2023, 5:40 PM IST

Source: PTI / File

Harda: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday claimed a video showed the son of a Union minister “stealing money of farmers, the poor and labourers” and asked if the Narendra Modi government had sent the Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation and the Income Tax department to probe.

Gandhi was speaking in Harda as part of his party’s campaign for the November 17 Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh. Results will be declared on December 3.

The BJP government in MP works on 50 per cent commission (cuts and kickbacks)and indulges in corruption in everything, Gandhi told the gathering.

“You must have seen the video of (Union Minister Narendra Singh) Tomar’s son, who is stealing money of farmers, the poor and labourers without hiding it, without fear and openly on a video call. Has Modiji taken any action? Has ED, CBI, IT department taken action,” he asked.

The Union minister’s son has claimed the video is fake and has also got an FIR registered against unidentified persons in this connection.

Speaking on the collapse of the Kamal Nath dispensation in March 2020, Gandhi said the “BJP, in collusion with big industrialists” brought down the Congress government of farmers, labourers and small shop owners after it started work on waiving loans of 27 lakh farmers.

He said 18,000 farmers had committed suicide under BJP rule in the state because of debt.

Demonetisation was carried out for the benefit of industrialists like (Gautam) Adani, while it severely hit small shop owners and the common citizens of the country, he alleged.

Employment is provided by small traders and businesses and not by big industries, he said, adding the BJP government said demonetisation would curb the menace of black money but nothing of the sort happened.

Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “lying openly” about setting up 500 factories in the state.

He hailed welfare steps taken by the Congress government in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, and said these would be implemented in MP as well after his party forms government.

Slamming the BJP further, he said the ruling party refers to tribals as ‘vanvasi’ or forest-dwellers, while the correct term is Adivasi or original inhabitants, which the Congress uses.

Mentioning the Sidhi case, which hit national headlines and caused immense outrage across the nation, Gandhi said, “Have you seen any BJP leader urinating on an animal? But a BJP leader urinated on the face of a tribal man, shot a video and made it viral. They are shameless. Their thinking is hidden in this video.”

While the Congress wants children from tribal communities to become doctors, engineers, lawyers and industrialists, the BJP wants to keep them away from English education, Gandhi claimed.

“The BJP leaders want their sons and daughters to study English but they want tribals to stay away,” Gandhi said while mentioning several jobs where English is required.

Gandhi promised his party government will provide LPG cylinder at Rs 500, waive farmers’ loans up to Rs 2 lakh, will pay minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 2,600 for wheat, which will go up to Rs 3,000 and free electricity up to 100 units.

Gandhi is scheduled to take part in a road show in Bhopal and a corner meeting in Narela in the state capital later in the evening.