Himalaya Harbinger National Bureau.
In a scathing attack on Sunday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of orchestrating the decline of small businesses through decisions such as demonetization and the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Addressing a gathering during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi asserted that these policies have led to a surge in unemployment, positioning India unfavorably against Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Pakistan.
Gandhi contended that the Modi-led government’s economic decisions have inflicted severe damage, resulting in the highest levels of unemployment in the past 40 years. Drawing comparisons, he claimed, “Today, there is the maximum unemployment in the country in the last 40 years. India has double the unemployment as compared to Pakistan. We have more unemployed youth than Bangladesh and Bhutan because Narendra Modi has finished small businesses by demonetization and implementing GST.”
During the yatra, Gandhi acknowledged the concerns raised during his previous travels and expanded the initiative to encompass states like West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and the northeastern regions. The addition of the term ‘nyay’ (justice) to the yatra’s name was emphasized, symbolizing the party’s commitment to justice for all.
Addressing ex-servicemen and Agniveers in Gwalior, Gandhi remarked on the 50th day of his yatra, “During our previous yatra, people told us that ‘you have walked from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, but what about the other states.’ That’s why we started our second yatra and added the word ‘nyay’ to it.”
In a separate statement, Gandhi took to social media to criticize the railway policies of the Centre, alleging a bias towards the affluent. “Amidst a 10 per cent increase in fare every year, loot in the name of dynamic fare, rising cancellation charges and expensive platform tickets, people are being lured by showing them a picture of an ‘elite train’ that the poor cannot even set foot on.”
Rahul Gandhi accused the government of reducing general coaches in favor of more air-conditioned coaches, adversely affecting various sections of society, including laborers, farmers, students, and the service class. He claimed that the increase in the production of AC coaches compared to normal coaches was a part of these alleged exploitative practices. Gandhi also suggested that ending the separate presentation of the Railway Budget was a conspiracy to conceal these actions.
The yatra will pause on Sunday as Gandhi participates in the opposition INDIA bloc’s rally in Bihar capital Patna, resuming in MP on Monday, passing through Shivpuri, Guna, Rajgarh, Shajapur, Ujjain, Dhar, and Ratlam districts.
