BJP govts working for business tycoons, not for poor, middle class and farmers: Priyanka Gandhi

DAMOH: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday accused the BJP-led central and state governments of working for business tycoons rather than for the poor, middle class and farmers.

Speaking at an election meeting in Damoh district in the impoverished Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh, where elections are scheduled to be held on November 17, she also alleged that the Centre had given the “country’s property” to some big industrialists.

Addressing the gathering, she said, “Old Pension Scheme (OPS) is one of your demands. You want future security after working honestly for 20 years. It is your service to the nation. But the leaders and government say they don’t have money. Why have the loans of big industrialists like (Gautam) Adani ji, running into hundreds of crores, been waived? Where did you get this money from?”

“You (government) have given them the country’s property. You are flying in an aircraft worth Rs 8,000 crore. The Parliament building was in a good shape, but you are spending Rs 20,000 on its beautification,” she said, apparently referring to the Central Vista project.

“You made a big hall in New Delhi by spending Rs 27,000 crore,” Gandhi alleged, apparently targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the construction of the Bharat Mandapam International Exhibition-Convention Centre, where the G-20 Summit was held.

The Congress leader’s criticism was apparently directed at PM Modi. But she did not name him in her speech. The Election Commission on Thursday issued a show-cause notice to Priyanka Gandhi over her “envelop” remarks related to PM Modi’s temple visit.

“The Centre and the state governments are being run for big industrialists. There is no place for the middle class, poor and farmers,” she said.

According to her, the country was witnessing huge unemployment and price rise, but the government was not bothered about it.