Narendra Modi’s actions have been the exact opposite of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s, said Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi in his strongest remarks against the Prime Minister so far, accusing him of usurping farmers’ land and giving it away to select industrialists
At the Bhavnagar rally, the Amethi MP invoked Vallabhbhai Patel and Maharaja Krishna Kumarsinhji — the last Maharaja of the Gohil dynasty of erstwhile Bhavnagar State — and recalled their contributions in nation building. Addressing a large gathering, Rahul said that while Patel worked to integrate the princely States, Kumarsinhji supported him by giving away land for the people.
“They gave land to farmers. [But] Modi
Earlier in the day, addressing farmers in the cotton heartland of Bhavnagar, Amreli and Botad districts, Rahul raised issues of farm distress and sought to expose Prime Minister Modi’s claims of development. Rahul assured the farmers that all that was unduly given to the industries would be taken back and channelised for the welfare of farmers.
“If the BJP doesn’t have a policy to waive the farmers’ loans, the Congress does. Do you wonder where the money will come from? Whatever Modi ji has unduly given to industries, will be taken back and will be given to you.”
The three districts, which were part of Rahul’s itinerary for the second day of his two-day visit to the State ,formed nearly 30 per cent of the State’s cotton area. Cotton has a total acreage of 26.41 lakh hectares in Gujarat, while the three districts where the Congress Vice-President addressed large gatherings of farmers, cooperatives and women, have 7.58 lakh hectares under cotton cultivation.
Rahul also interacted with a delegation of traders in Amreli and assured them of all help to resolve issues after the Congress formed a government in the State.
However, the Congress leader’s focus was on agricultural distress. “When the UPA was in power, the cotton price was ₹1,200. But Modi ji found that to be less and demanded a higher price of ₹2,000. Today, when he is in power, cotton prices have fallen to ₹800,” Rahul said amid cheers from the crowd.
Cotton growers have been a troubled lot after a bumper crop pulled down the prices. As per the Centre’s first advance estimate, the cotton crop is likely to record an output of 3.22 crore bales, while trade estimates them to cross 4 crore bales. Gujarat produces about a fourth of the country’s overall production.
On crop insurance claims, Rahul stated that insurance companies had collected ₹20,740 crore as premium from farmers. “When the pink bollworm attacked and caused losses to the farmers, these companies disbursed only ₹4,700 crore and walked away with the profit of ₹15,000 crore from your pocket. Modi ji will not tell you all this in his speeches.”