Alleging that the media has been totally captured by the Narendra Modi-led Union government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday that poor people are not visible either on television or in newspapers.
“The media system of India is captured by the Narendra Modi government. Media does not show the voice of opposition in television and newspapers. You can see the faces of Modi ji, Adani and Ambani while Aishawarya Rai and Amitabh Bachchan can be seen dancing on another side screen apart from two to three cricketers but there is no space for the poor, youth and unemployed,” Mr. Gandhi said, while addressing a public meeting at Aurangabad district of Bihar during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.
Cutting out the middleman
He also alleged that the media was not interested in showing the huge crowds at the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, but was more enthusiastic about the PM hugging the United Arab Emirates’ president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan.
Noting that the Nyay Yatra had been launched to respond to the BJP’s divisive politics, Mr. Gandhi said that he was directly interacting with the people, keeping aside the middleman of television.
Small businesses hit hard
He claimed that the Modi government has waived loans worth ₹14 lakh crore for 10 to 15 rich people, but offered no relief to the poor. Mr. Gandhi added that GST and demonetisation had finished off the small and medium scale traders of the country.
“All the small industries of Bihar are closed and people of the State are forced to migrate in search of jobs and engaged in contract labour. In Bihar, four lakh teachers are doing the work of labour on contractual basis. They can be sacked within a minute,” Mr. Gandhi said.
BJP threatened Nitish: Kharge
Addressing the rally, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge slammed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and also accused the BJP of drawing Mr. Kumar into their fold by threatening him.
The Congress chief recalled Mr. Kumar’s criticism of the BJP while he was part of the Opposition alliance. In what seemed to be a comment on Mr. Kumar’s frequent political flip-flops, Mr. Kharge first turned to the security personnel standing behind him to ask: “Who is the present Chief Minister?” He then turned back to the audience. “Oh sorry, Nitish Kumar ji, who had once said he would prefer to die rather than going with the BJP. What to tell about such a man who makes such promises? BJP threatened and intimidated him to bring him in their fold. He took the mandate of poor people and now made an alliance with BJP who sucks the blood of poor people,” Mr. Kharge said.
“Nitish ji said that he has gone with BJP for development. Is he really going for development or to save himself? BJP has destroyed Bihar and in the regime of UPA (United Progressive Alliance), ₹2 lakh crore was given to the State,” he said. “When Nitish ji was with us, he used to speak against the Central government but now he has shut his mouth. If you hold his nose then only he will open his mouth. Now he has to rub his nose for your vote and you all will teach him a lesson.”
Mr. Kharge also accused the Union government of harassing the farmers gathered at the Haryana-Punjab border over their key demand for guaranteed minimum support prices for their crops.
