Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday roared in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency Varanasi amidst loud cheers from the packed audience.
Accusing Modi of looting taxpayers’ money to help himself and his billionaire friends, Priyanka said, “While you (ordinary public) have been struggling to make ends meet, PM Modi’s billionaire friends are earning thousands of crores of rupees. Modi has bought two planes for himself for Rs. 16,000 crore, but sold Air India to his crony friends for just Rs. 18,000 crores.”
Speaking at the Kisan Nyay Rally, Priyanka said that whilst Modi could visit around the world, he had refused to meet farmers, who’ve been protesting just 10 kms from his residence in Delhi. She took a potshot at Modi by reminding that he had also refused to visit Lakhimpur Kheri when he visited Lucknow last week.
At least four farmers and a journalist were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri after Union Minister Ajay Mishra’s SUV rammed into protesting farmers. The minister’s son, who was inside the car, was arrested by the UP Police on Sunday after the cops faced widespread condemnation for inaction.
Priyanka said that she and her party would continue to protest until the minister was removed from his post. “Congress workers don’t fear anyone. We will continue to fight till that minister (Ajay Mishra) is removed from his post,” she said.
The Congress General Secretary said that no one was safe in India under the Modi government. “Nobody from any religion in this country is safe. Only people from the ruling BJP and Modi’s billionaire friends are safe. This country is getting destroyed,” she added.
Priyanka was arrested by the UP Police while she was on her way to Lakhimpur Kheri to meet the relatives of those killed. She was later released as her brother and Congress MP from Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi, also left for Lakhimpur Kheri. Both of them had later met the family members of those killed in the massacre.
Priyanka choosing Varanasi to launch a blistering attack against PM Modi and his party is a sign that the Congress had kickstarted its election campaign for next’s assembly polls. The party has been losing ground in the state in the last few assembly and Lok Sabha polls. All eyes are on Priyanka if she can revive the party that was once a dominating force in Uttar Pradesh.