Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday asserted the people of Gujarat would forever remain grateful to India's first home minister Sardar Vallabhai Patel's contribution in development of women and farmers in the state.
Speaking on Gujarat's foundation day, Rahul said that Patel played a significant role in ousting an Australian dairy company, Paulson, from the state.
"Mahatma Gandhi called on Sardar Patel and asked him to go to Anand and fight against Polson company. Sardar Patel stood with farmers. Among them was another person Tribhuvan Patel; he also helped Sardar Patel. With his efforts, he was able to oust Paulson company from the state," Rahul said.
"This did not happen in one year. Gandhiji, Sardal Patel initiated this. Tribhuvan Patel also gave his life for the cause. Crores of people built Amul with their sweat and blood. I went to Australia, when I asked them that why don't they export milk to India to which they said they were unable to compete with Amul and Gujarat's women," he added.
He said that Gujarat has transformed itself to one of the developed states under Sardar Patel and the Congress.
Rahul, however, did not shy away from taking potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Gandhi scion repeatedly took on the latter for the Vibrant Gujarat summits, adding the farmers fared worse during his tenure as the Gujarat's chief minister.
"I want to ask the farmers that in the past 20 years what the Narendra Modi government did for you. Big industrialists get thousands of acres as gift in Gujarat. When farmers ask for their rights, police beat their women. Today, 10-15 people rule in Gujarat, like earlier Paulson company used to rule, and you all know their names," he said.
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He also criticised Prime Minister Modi for failing to provide employment to the youth promised during election campaigns.
"The Prime Minister promised to provide two crore jobs every year, did that happen? how many people were employed last year ,only 1 lakh," he added.