Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that his party puts trust in each and every citizen of India, adding that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is intent on centralising authority across the nation.
"I want to share with you the difference between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Congress. He wants to take the power of this country and everyone in his own hands. He thinks he can run the country alone. He feels that only one person should control the power of the nation and he alone should govern the country," Gandhi said while addressing a rally here.
"The Congress however, feels that Jharkhand should be run by the people, the youth of the state. We want to give the power to you because we don't believe in power residing in only one person. We put our trust in every citizen of this country. We want everyone to develop the state together. The Congress says that we will fight for the people together, and only if we are together can India move forward," he added.
The Gandhi scion also used the occasion to take a jibe at the 'Swacch Bharat Abhiyan' launched by Prime Minister Modi-led government at the Centre.
"Before coming to power, Modiji said that he alone will build factories, roads, aero planes and trains and everyone else can just sit back and reap the benefits. Now, he tells us to pick up the broom and clean the nation while he himself leaves for Australia," he said.
"Modiji further says that he will learn techniques from Australian farmers and teach them to the farmers of Jharkhand. In the meanwhile, he says 'clean India because it is dirty'. However, I say that India is not dirty and I say that there is no problem with its citizens. If your Prime Minister listens to you, works for you and empowers you, then Australians will come to India to learn from us," he added.
The Congress vice-president also alleged that Prime Minister Modi is working only in the interests of industrialists.
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"Our Prime Minister is the Prime Minister of only five to ten industrialists. You will learn this over the months - as your land is snatched away from you, when your mines are given away, when water and forests are taken away from you. The government promised 'acche din', but the same government attempted to demolish the houses of hundreds yesterday in New Delhi in this winter," Gandhi said.
"I have come here to tell you that the Congress will not take even one inch of land from you. The wealth of the forests is yours alone. This country is yours - it does not belong to any businessman. The country belongs to the poor, the adivasis, the Dalits, the women," he added.
Jharkhand recorded an impressive 62 percent voter turnout in the first phase of assembly elections earlier on Tuesday.
Jharkhand is scheduled to enter the second phase of its five-phase assembly polls on December 2, with 13 assemblies voting on that day. The counting of the votes will take place on December 23.