Congress president Rahul Gandhi wanted the youth of the country to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi on who was funding his marketing exercises and paying for his advertisements in televisions and newspapers.
Mr. Modi is being marketed by 15 industrialists of the country and the Prime Minister in turn is protecting their interests and allowing them to steal the land and properties of fishermen, alleged Mr. Gandhi, while interacting with delegates of the National Fishermen Parliament held here on Thursday.
Focusing his attention on the youth and unemployment, Mr. Gandhi wanted the youth to find out how many jobs industrialist Anil Ambani, who had received ₹35,000 crore from the Indian banking sector, had created. “If you give ₹35 lakh to a young entrepreneur from Kerala, he will generate more jobs,” he said.
“The complaint against me is that I always speak about the marginal traders, farmers and poor. They complain that I always focus on health issues and weaker sections of society. They also complain that I always support and help poor people,” Mr. Gandhi said.
There were criticism that the loan waiver for farmers would keep them away from work. However, there was no criticism when Mr. Modi announced a loan waiver of ₹3.5 lakh crore of 15 rich people in the country. If the loan of Mr. Ambani can be written off, the loan of Indian farmers should also be treated the same way, he said.
Referring to the reported proximity of the Prime Minister with leading industrialists, Mr. Gandhi said he never used to call Anil Ambani ‘Anil Bhai’, Nirav Modi ‘Nirav Bhai’ and Mehul Choksi ‘Choksi Bbhai’, he said.
Mr. Modi was protecting the interests of Nirav Modi, Anil Ambani and Choksi. He was also instrumental in allowing these industrialists to capture the Indian banking sector, he said.
Mr. Gandhi reiterated the earlier promise to ensure minimum income for all citizens of the country to wipe out poverty. He released the manifesto prepared by the fishermen parliament.
Senior Congress leaders, including KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran, AICC general secretary Oommen Chandy and Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala were present at the meeting
