Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Ek hai toh safe hai' slogan during a press conference in Mumbai.
The Leader of the opposition brought a safe to his press conference and claimed a link between the slogan and the Dharavi redevelopment project being given to the Adani Group.
Rahul Gandhi took out two posters from the safe, one featuring a picture of industrialist Gautam Adani and PM Modi with the caption Ek hai toh Safe hai, and another showing a map of the Dharavi redevelopment project.
"The Ek hai toh safe hai slogan primarily serves to help Adani acquire Rs one lakh crore land through the Dharavi redevelopment project. Narendra Modi's slogan is: If we are united, we are safe. The question is: who is safe,” Gandhi said in the press conference.
Gandhi said the assembly election in Maharashtra is a contest between billionaires and the poor, adding that the Maha Vikas Aghadi government would prioritize farmers, the underprivileged, and the unemployed.
Responding to a question on PM Modi's slogan, Gandhi said, "I have showed you what does the slogan 'Ek hai toh safe hai' mean. Who is 'Ek'? It is Narendra Modi, Adani Ji and Amit Shah Ji. And who is safe? Adani Ji."
He criticised the tendering process in the Dharavi redevelopment project, suggesting it was designed to protect Adani’s interests. "The interests of Dharavi residents were overlooked to protect the industrialist's interests," Gandhi said.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and Congress will ensure the rightful land is returned to the poor residents of Dharavi, he added.
Rahul Gandhi also promised to remove the 50 per cent cap on reservations and conduct a caste census in the country.“
"Caste census is the biggest issue before us and we will get it done; it is our central pillar,” Gandhi said.
He further claimed that Rs 7 lakh crore projects including Foxconn and Airbus were shifted to Gujarat from Maharashtra. This led to youth in Maharashtra losing out on jobs, he added.