Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi demanded to know on Saturday why Rs. 1,200 crore of bad debts of absconding “ Hindustan ka chor ” Vijay Mallya was waived and why he and the former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi were not being extradited to India.
A gathering of party workers here, he said demonetisation was aimed at “robbing the common man’s money” to heal the banks which were ailing because of such pro-rich moves of the Centre. At the same venue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi a month ago had argued that the country would gain from demonetisation after the initial hiccups.
Hurling a series of accusations at Mr. Modi, Mr. Gandhi said people of low-income groups were spending sleepless nights and standing in long queues to withdraw their own money while “chor” (black money hoarders and corrupt) remained unaffected. He accused the Prime Minister of repeatedly lying to the nation on various issues, starting with war on black money and now talking of cashless economy.
Mr. Gandhi alleged that BJP leaders and supporters were informed about the demonetisation well in advance and they converted black money by investing in real estate in Bihar, Odisha and other States beforehand. About Rs. 6 lakh crore landed in various banks in September, he said.
Mr. Gandhi said the Congress was not against attack on corruption or black money, but Mr. Modi had hurled “fire bombs” at 99 per cent of honest and hard-working people to protect the interests of 1 per cent of population holding the “real” black money.
Congress leaders, including leader of the party in the Lok Sabha M. Mallikarjun Kharge, KPCC president G. Parameshwara, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh, Mahila Congress president Shobha Oza, and former Union Ministers M. Veerappa Moily and K.H. Muniyappa were present.
The conference on Saturday is seen as a prelude to the 2018 Assembly elections in the State. The party has planned to organise conferences to strengthen it from the grassroots level.
‘Help drought-hit Karnataka’
Mr. Gandhi said Mr. Modi must help Karnataka whcih is reeling under severe drought conditions. The price of onions had come down to Re. 1 a kg, cooperative banks were closed and farmers were desperately looking for relief from the government, he said here on Saturday.
Speaking at the programme, Mr. Siddaramaiah said he had not got an appointment with the Prime Minister despite repeated efforts to brief him about the severe drought conditions and need for immediate relief.
