National News
PM Modi has relations with industrialists, is not concerned about poverty, says Congress’ Anand Sharma
"The Centre has not made any decisions in the favour of poor. Prime Minister Modi has a habit of commenting on Congress," the Rajya Sabha member said
Mounting a fierce counter-attack against Narendra Modi for saying that Congress disliked him for his poor origins, Rajya Sabha member Anand Sharma alleged that the Prime Minister had a habit of commenting on the Grand Old Party and knew very little of history.
The Congress veteran said it was former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who coined the slogan “Garibi hatao” and worked for the development of the poor. “The PM knows very less of history. Maybe he forgot Lal Bahadur Shastri belonged to a poor family. Manmohan Singh came as a refugee and was from poor family too. Modi ji must recall Indira Gandhi’s slogan of ‘Garibi Hatao’. She nationalised banks so that the poor can get money easily,” ANI quoted Sharma as saying.
Earlier in the day, Modi attacked the Congress for its dynastic politics and gave the examples of former leaders – Keshubhai Patel, Chimanbhai Patel and Babubhai Patel – whom the Congress tried to dislodge. “When Keshubhai Patel became the CM, the Congress tried everything to dislodge him. They repeated the same disruptive tactic with Anandiben Patel. Congress has defamed Gujarat always,” Modi said at a rally in Gujarat’s Jasdan.
Alluding to a meme that the Congress’ youth wing had posted referring to his ‘chaiwala’ past, the PM said he sold tea but did not sell the nation. “The Congress dislikes me because of my poor origins. Can a party stoop so low? Yes, a person belonging to a poor family has become PM. They do not fail to hide their contempt for this fact. Yes, I sold tea but I did not sell the nation,” Modi said.
When questioned on the PM’s allegations, Sharma said Modi had relations with big industrialists and was not concerned about poverty. “Congress had abolished the zamindari system. PM has relations with big industrialists but not poverty. They have not made any decision in the favour of poor. He has a habit of commenting on Congress. We will send him a book on Congress to study,” Sharma said.
