‘There are two Indias – one for rich, one for poor,’ says Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday criticised the government’s handling of the economy and said today there are two distinct Indias – one for the rich and one for the poor – and the gap between them is growing.

Speaking first from the Opposition side in the Lok Sabha during the discussion on the President’s address, he said the joint sitting of Parliament did not mention the central challenges facing the country. It was, he said, “a list of bureaucratic ideas” instead of a strategic vision.

The presidential address made no mention of unemployment, the Congress leader said.

“There are two Indias – one for the rich, one for the poor – and the gap between the two is widening,” Gandhi said and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to start working towards bringing the two Indias, created by the government, together.

Gandhi said that 40 per cent of India’s wealth has gone to a chosen few.

“Today, the earnings of 84 per cent of Indians have dwindled, pushing them towards poverty,” Gandhi said.
Make in India cannot happen as the unorganised sector has been completely destroyed, he said. 

“You keep talking about Made in India, Made in India. Made in India is not possible anymore. You have destroyed ‘Made in India’. You need to support small and medium industries, otherwise ‘Made in India’ is not possible. Small and medium industries are the only ones who can create jobs,” Gandhi said.

“You keep talking about Made in India, Start-Up India, etc. And joblessness is only increasing.”

The Congress leader accused the ruling BJP of bringing back the idea of a “king of India” that was “smashed in 1947”.

“No matter what fantasies you have, you will never ever rule over the people of a state of India,” he said as he illustrated his point on cooperative federalism, “conversation and negotiation”.