Demonetisation-like ‘fatwas’ will bring Cong to power:CM

New Delhi, December 6

Chief Minister Harish Rawat today criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over demonetization and said two to three more such “fatwas” would see the Congress return to power at the Centre in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections under the “capable” leadership of Rahul Gandhi.

He raised questions over the Union government’s commitment towards “cooperative federalism” at ‘Agenda Aaj Tak’ summit organised by the news channel here. He accused the Prime Minister of “not trying to understand the pain” of non-BJP states, which he claimed, were struggling to get Central funds.

“Barring a few, every person is feeling the pinch of demonetisation. The move has blighted the economy and lives of common people. If the Prime Minister takes a few more such decisions, issues such as fatwas (edicts), people will find Rahul Gandhi quite attractive and... bring the Congress to power in 2019,” he said.

Rawat said the “cooperative federalism” talk could not be seen being implemented in “letter and in spirit” by the NDA government as non-BJP states were struggling to receive central funds.

He referred to Modi’s comment last year that “the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers make Team India” and said, “I want to ask him, if not the captain of Team India, who will feel pain of states? At this moment, the pain of non-BJP states is not being understood. There is no sympathy for these states”.

He wondered what role NITI Aayog, which replaced the Planning Commission, was playing under the Modi dispensation. “Nearly 24 Union ministers are currently visiting poll-bound Uttarakhand but have no development agenda for the people of the state,” Rawat claimed.

“...the Central ministers come to Uttarakhand and ‘praise’ me. But they are not talking about what they will do for Uttarakhand,” he claimed. — PTI