In a scathing critique, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi lambasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dubbing him the “champion of corruption” while condemning the scrapped electoral bonds as the “biggest extortion scheme in the world.” Gandhi’s remarks came in response to PM Modi’s recent defense of the scrapped electoral bonds, where he cited their implementation as a measure to enhance transparency and combat black money in elections. Gandhi, however, questioned the rationale behind the Supreme Court’s decision to annul the scheme if it was purportedly aimed at fostering transparency and curbing illicit financial practices in electoral processes.
In a recent critique, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi scrutinized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interview with ANI, describing it as a rehearsed but unsuccessful attempt to elucidate the concept of electoral bonds. Gandhi highlighted the discrepancy between PM Modi’s assertion that electoral bonds were introduced to promote transparency and integrity in politics and their subsequent annulment by the Supreme Court. Additionally, Gandhi questioned the Prime Minister’s commitment to transparency, citing the withholding of donor identities and transaction dates related to contributions to the BJP.
During a joint press conference with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in Ghaziabad, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi condemned the electoral bonds system as “the biggest extortion scheme in the world.” Gandhi asserted that despite any attempts by the Prime Minister to provide clarification, the Indian business community comprehends the scheme’s true nature. He emphasized that the public perception remains unchanged, alleging Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the “champion of corruption.”
The comments from Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi followed Prime Minister Modi’s interview with ANI, where he defended the electoral bond scheme as a measure to combat black money in elections. PM Modi accused the opposition of making baseless allegations and suggested that they would regret their actions upon honest reflection.
Gandhi countered by expressing skepticism about BJP’s electoral prospects, suggesting a potential decline from his earlier estimate of 180 seats to around 150 seats in the Lok Sabha polls. He cited reports indicating improvement for his party across various states and highlighted the strength of their alliance in Uttar Pradesh.
Regarding his own candidacy, when asked whether he would contest from Amethi or Raebarelli, Gandhi deflected the question, stating it was a matter for the BJP and asserting that he would comply with any directives from the Congress Election Committee (CEC), which holds authority over candidate selections within the party.
Expounding on the party’s election agenda, Rahul Gandhi criticized Prime Minister Modi’s tenure, attributing a reduction in employment opportunities to policies such as demonetization and the implementation of GST. He highlighted the Congress manifesto’s focus on job creation, outlining 23 proposals, including the innovative concept of the “right to apprenticeship” for graduates and diploma holders in Uttar Pradesh. Gandhi emphasized the party’s commitment to depositing Rs 1 lakh per year into the bank accounts of eligible youth and proposed legislation to address paper leaks.
As Uttar Pradesh gears up for voting in seven phases, the Ghaziabad constituency emerges as a battleground for a three-way contest. BJP nominated Atul Garg as its candidate following the withdrawal of sitting MP Gen (retd) VK Singh. Garg will compete against Dolly Sharma of the INDIA bloc and Congress, as well as Nand Kishore Pundir of the Bahujan Samaj Party.
Reflecting on the 2019 general elections, where BJP and its ally Apna Dal(S) clinched 64 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, Gandhi noted the failure of the SP-BSP ‘Mahagatbandhan’ alliance, which managed to secure only 15 seats.