Modi makes hollow promises, remembers farmers only during elections: Rahul Gandhi

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi during an election rally in Congress strong hold Rae Bareli. Photo: ABP News Bureau

RAEBARELI: Escalating his attack on Narendra Modi for "making hollow promises", Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the Prime Minister offered loans to liquor baron and "thieves like Vijay Mallya" but imposed difficulties upon farmers and small traders. "Modiji makes false promises. He remembers farmers and the poor only during elections," Rahul said in an election rally in Congress stronghold Raebareli. Accusing Modi of offering loans to liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who has a debt of Rs 1,200 crore and staying in London, Rahul said, "Modiji gave loans to thieves like Mallya but imposed difficulties upon farmers and small traders through his note ban decision. He will not give money to the poor for changing their lives". Addressing a gathering in the presence of his sister Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul asked PM to show where are the promised achche din. "PM had promised to change Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency and vowed to clean Ganga, set up a Bhojpuri film city and provide free internet but nothing has been done. He made hollow promises," the Nehru-Gandhi scion said. "Modi showed a movie, Shahrukh Khan’s DDLJ, promising achche din in 2014. Two-and-a-half years later, we witnessed the arrival of Sholay’s Gabbar Singh," he added. Rahul reiterated that Modi does not need to form government in UP in order to waive off the loans taken by farmers. "Modiji said he will waive of loans of farmers if BJP voted to power in UP. During UPA government, we waived off their loans. Was Congress in power in UP at that time?," he said. Accusing PM of taking "revenge" from the people of Raebareli, Rahul said Modi snatched food park project from the Lok Sabha constituency of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. "Rail factory has been put on hold, food park project and employment were snatched from Raebareli," Rahul alleged, adding that it was done to take revenge from people. Rahul also promised to help small businessmen if the SP-Congress alliance is voted to power and provide loans to all those who want to run their own business.