BJP giving public wealth to corporates: Rahul Gandhi

In his seventh visit to Gujarat since August, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi began his campaigning in North Gujarat on Saturday by speaking about GST, effects of demonetization on masses, job losses, privatised and costly education and health services.

Starting his three-day North Gujarat tour from Chiloda village in Gandhinagar, the Congress scion said the BJP governments are transferring wealth of masses to a few corporates. He also attributed the reduction of GST rate on Friday to the pressure from Congress and small businessmen of Gujarat.

During a public meeting at Chhala village in Gandhinagar, he said that BJP government has converted GST into Gabbar Singh Tax. “You must have seen Sholay. Gabbar Singh was looting money from the vulnerable people. BJP government is also doing the same. This is not our model of GST. We will continue to fight till there is a real  one tax,” Gandhi said.

He said if Congress comes to power, it will work for improving health and education services for masses besides welfare of farmers, women and workers.

At another meeting at Prantij in Sabarkantha district, he said that successive BJP governments in Gujarat have privatised education and health, making them costly and unaffordable to the majority.

“If your child wants admission in engineering college, be ready to pay lakhs as fee. If someone wants treatment in private hospitals, they have to pay lakhs and without it they are not allowed to enter,” the Congress leader said.

Gandhi also charged PM Narendra Modi of turning a blind eye to corruption by relatives of those associated with the BJP governments. 

At Prantij, he said, “Modi has a new mantra. ‘Na mein bolunga, na bolne dunga,’. We want an inquiry into the matter. Modiji, if you are not ordering an inquiry, at least say that.”