Congress leader and former party president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, alleging that they had “looted” the State and didn’t come out to help the poor migrant workers, who were forced to return home due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Mr. Gandhi also took on the NDA government over issues of demonetisation, new farm laws, GST and mismanagement of the pandemic.
“Youths of Bihar know that both PM Narendra Modi and CM Nitish Kumar have looted Bihar and destroyed small traders, farmers and others… But now people of Bihar have made up their mind to vote for mahagathbandhan and bring a change in the State,” Mr. Gandhi said, adding, “The mahagathbandhan government will be for you all in the State”.
The Congress leader was addressing public meetings at Katihar and Kishanganj districts of northeast Bihar where the third phase of poll is scheduled to be held on November 7.
Promise of jobs
“I want to ask all the youth who are here, had Modi ji given them two crore jobs for which he had made announcement during last Lok Sabha poll? Even Nitish ji had said the same...Where are those jobs?...Why are the youths unemployed today,” asked Mr. Gandhi.
Referring to the plight of the migrant workers, he said, “They (migrants) could be seen in lakhs walking on foot with hungry stomachs but what did they (Mr. Modi and Mr. Kumar) do for them? Nothing…they left them (poor migrants) on their own. But the Congress party had arranged buses for their movement… We couldn’t do much as we’re not in power but we helped as many people as we could,” Mr. Gandhi said.
New farm laws
The Congress leader took on the Prime Minister over the new farm laws, saying they are anti-farmer.
“Will the farmers be able to deal with Ambani and Adani?... One sits in Mumbai and the other in Gujarat…Why have the farmers of Punjab burnt effigies of PM Narendra Modi, Ambani and Adani on Dussehra,” asked Mr. Gandhi, adding, “The truth behind these farm laws has come out in Punjab and it has come out in Bihar as well.”
The Congress leader said at least 20% of the maize produced in the country comes from Bihar and asked farmers of the State, “Do you get the right price? What did Modi ji and Nitish ji do to get you the right price?”
Recalling demonetisation and GST, Mr Gandhi said, “Both hurt the poor and benefited the big corporate houses.”
The second phase of polling in Bihar ended on Tuesday. Counting of votes will be done on November 10.
