Pushed from car to cart, Rahul mocks Modi’s Gujarat model

JAMNAGAR: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today lambasted PM Narendra Modi and ridiculed his much-touted “Gujarat model of development” as nothing but “taking away land from the poor farmers and distributing it among a handful of rich industrialists”.

Rahul Gandhi rides on a bullock cart during a roadshow at Hanjadapar village in Dwarka on Monday. PTI

Manas Dasgupta

Jamnagar, September 25

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today lambasted PM Narendra Modi and ridiculed his much-touted “Gujarat model of development” as nothing but “taking away land from the poor farmers and distributing it among a handful of rich industrialists”.

Rahul kicked off the Congress campaign for the Assembly polls in Modi’s home state, launching his first phase of three-day visit to the Saurashtra region after offering prayers at Dwarkadhish temple in Dwarka.

As the Gujarat Police, citing security reasons, did not allow him to hold a 156-km long “road-show” by travelling in an open jeep from Dwarka to Jamnagar where he halted for the first night, Rahul climbed on a bullock cart to reach the meeting venue at Hanjrapar village. He also held “Khatla Parishad,” talking to people sitting on cots all around, at Bhatia, Nandana and several other villages en route. For most part of the day, he travelled in a luxury bus re-done to take care of his comfort and also his security. The bus was fitted with CCTV cameras from all sides.

At a public meet at Jam-Khambhaliya and several other roadside meetings, Rahul attacked the Modi government on demonetisation, GST, unemployment, problems being faced by the youth and farmers and said “there seem to be no responsible person except the PM himself”.

He said GST was the UPA government’s idea, but the Modi government allegedly hiked tax rates and imposed the new system in a hurry, causing total disruption in the country’s economic system.