‘Tourist PM roamed the world’ but didn’t meet farmers: Priyanka slams Modi

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday  called Narendra Modi “our tourist prime minister” and said he could not be bothered to visit farmers protesting on the borders of Delhi.

At a rally against inflation in Jaipur, also attended by her mother Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul, the AICC in-charge of Uttar Pradesh said: “Our tourist prime minister roamed the whole world but didn’t go 10 kilometres to meet our [protesting] farmers. This is the type of government we have.”

She said crores of rupees go into advertisements in Uttar Pradesh, which is going to polls next year, but not for the welfare of the farmers.

The central government does not want the welfare of the people and is only working for a few industrialists, she said.

“The government that Congress built for several decades is being sold to a few select industrialists. Tell me, what have you done in seven years?” Priyanka asked.

The leader also alleged that the central government does not tell the truth, but only misleads, and that the ruling BJP talks about diversionary things like religion but not development when elections are near.

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At the ‘Mehengai Hatao’ rally, Priyanka told the audience: “I know life has been tough for you due to inflation. You all have come to this rally because your daily life has become difficult.

“Ask why there is so much inflation in the country. This is your responsibility. The government has a huge responsibility towards you – your development and taking you forward. Then it is your responsibility to ask for a strong future from the government.”

Finally, Priyanka said: “This is my fight, my brother Rahul Gandhi’s fight and you all have to fight with us.”

Speaking at the rally, Rahul made a frontal attack on the concept of Hindutva, the outlines of which he drew last month in an internal session of the party.

“I am a Hindu. All these people are Hindus. They are Hindutva-vadis. Let me explain,” he said.

Referring to ‘Satyagraha’, Rahul said: “Mahatma Gandhi searched for the truth, Nathuram Godse pumped three bullets into him. He was a Hindutva-vadi. A Hindu is interested in Satyagrah. Hinduta-vadis are only after power, they don’t care about truth. A Hindutva-vadi is only after sattagrah [search for power].”

“Who is a Hindu? Someone who respects every religion and is scared of nobody. Those in power are ‘false’ Hindus… India’s experiencing a ‘Hindutvadi’ raj, not Hindu raj. We want to remove these ‘Hindutvadis’ and bring in a Hindu raj,” he added.