Modi gave honest people's money to rich: Rahul Gandhi in Gujarat

At a rally in Mehsana, the Congress leader accused PM of taking kickbacks from Sahara, Birla groups

In his fiery speech at Mehsana here today, Indian National Congress (Congress) vice president Rahul Gandhi attacked the Prime Minister alleging that Narendra Modi put the interests of 99 per cent of the population of India at stake as he made an endeavour to protect the one per cent rich people who actually own the maximum 'black money'. Further, he also alleged that the PM was involved in personal corruption, and that he had received crores worth of rupees from business houses like Sahara and Aditya Birla groups.

Speaking at a rally of 75,000 locals, Gandhi claimed that he has proof of Sahara Group and Aditya Birla had given crores of rupees in 2013-14 to Modi, the then chief minister of Gujarat. "He is now questioning the honesty of Indians," Gandhi said.

Taking his attack a step further Gandhi claimed, "The PM was not ready to face me in the Parliament. The income tax department did a raid on on one Sahara Group company on November 22, 2013 and the department found that Sahara given money to Narendra Modi." He did not elaborate further.

Gandhi also blamed that, while farmers are demanding loan waivers, reduction in power tariff, better prices for agricultural produce, but, Modi has not paid heed to any of their demands. On the contrary, the ruling BJP government is rather working to deprive the famers off their land and the tribals from their forests.

"Narendra Modi is ruling since the past two-and-half years and so far his government has only made policies that hurt the common man. Honest people are suffering and few dishonest are reaping benefits. Government is ready to write off the loans of bank defaulters while it is collecting money from honest and poor people," he said.

On the demonetisation move, Gandhi compared note ban with fire-bombing on honest and poor people of India alleged that by this Modi wants to protect rich people of India. "Narendra Modi has done fire-bombing on poor and honest citizens of India on the name of demonetisation to protect rich people who have stolen over Rs 8 lakh crore from banks. It is an attack on the money of honest people," Gandhi said.

Attacking government's unclear agenda of demonetisation, the Congress vice president claimed that Union Government is not clear about their demonetisation agenda.

"First Modi said it is a surgical strike against black money, thereafter the PM claimed it as an action against terrorism. Finally, to prove his decision right, Modi came with new target saying demonetisation is move towards cashless transactions," Gandhi further said.

Hitting out at the government over scrapping of high value notes, Gandhi reiterated that all cash is not black money and all black money is not in cash. Swiss government has already given a list of account holders of Swiss banks but government is not declaring names of the list in Parliament, he said.