 "Union Minister Anurag Thakur")
Union minister Anurag Thakur has hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging that his model of giving "false" promises to assume power and then not fulfilling the guarantees has failed in the states ruled by the grand old party.
His criticism comes in the wake of Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, during their recent visits to poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, giving several guarantees if their party is voted to power in the state. The Congress has announced free and subsidised power, implementation of the old pension scheme, farm loan waiver, Rs 1,500 per month to women and some other guarantees.
"These guarantees failed in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, they (Congress leaders) are not able to show their face there. There was an outcry in Madhya Pradesh when their government was in power," Thakur told reporters on Friday night here in response to a question.
He alleged that the Congress government in these states failed to waive farm loans and provide unemployment allowance as announced by the party earlier.
"They only come to give a lollipop and false guarantees during elections. In Himachal Pradesh, they gave a guarantee of transferring Rs 1,500 per month into every woman's bank account, but not a single rupee was given even after 10 months," Thakur said while citing other promises like purchase of cow-dung and giving employment. The Congress governments in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka have stopped spending money on development, he said. "I want to ask Rahul Gandhi - what model is this? Give false guarantees and get power, then don't fulfil the guarantees and also stop development. This model of Rahul Gandhi has failed," the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting said.
Thakur, who is also the Youth Affairs and Sports Minister, congratulated the Indian men's hockey team for winning a gold medal in the Asian Games, and said this is the highest number of medals won by the country in these games.
The Indian contingent claimed the unprecedented 100th medal at the Asian Games as the women's kabaddi team beat the Chinese Taipei 26-25 in a thrilling encounter, an achievement hailed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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