Modi govt destroyed India’s image, deterred investors: Rahul Gandhi

Yash Goyal
Jaipur, January 28 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of destroying India’s image as a country of peace and harmony and urged the youth not to let their voice be suppressed.

Addressing a youth rally here, the former Congress president blamed the BJP-led government at the Centre of creating an image for the country that deterred investors.

He claimed that one crore people lost their jobs in the past year while the Modi government had promised the creation of two crore new ones.

“India was very peaceful earlier, now every day there is ‘hinsa’ (violence) which we read in newspapers and under such atmosphere, no one would come with foreign investment and provide jobs to the youth,” Gandhi told a Yuva Aakrosh rally in front of Albert Hall Museum.  

Gandhi in a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he has “no knowledge of economics and commerce, and he destroyed the image of India on a global stage”.

“Modi does not even understand what GST is. A person who can go for demonetisation… ask an eight-year-old boy, and he would say the note ban did more harm than any good,” he further said. 

“India’s global image, brotherhood was always to be known as its hallmark. People used to criticise neighbouring country Pakistan for violence. The PM has destroyed this image. India is now considered as world’s rape capital.

“The PM would not utter a word on it. When our youth question him on India’s reputation being destroyed, they target you, they shoot at you. I challenge the PM to visit any Indian university and face students’ volley of questions before he speaks, he could not, but he will make false promises and can’t give any job,” Gandhi alleged. 

In the 21st century, youths were dreaming of jobs in the Modi government as the PM had promised 2 crore jobs every year, but it was unfortunate that in last year about one lakh youths lost jobs due to GST, demonetisation and economic slowdown, he charged.  

During UPA regime, India had grown up to 9 per cent GDP and entire world was staring at us, he quoted, adding, “Today the government has different standards to measure GDP and fixing it at 5 per cent, but as per the UPA parameters, India is growing at 2.5 per cent of GDP.” 

Gandhi repeatedly called upon youths asking them, “No need to get scared. Do not let your voice be suppressed, raise questions on unemployment. You should change the Made in China into Made in India on every product. You can change Indian scenario in one year”. 

“There is only one Indian flag, which shows unity and integrity, and you (youth) should not allow anyone to divide nation or society on religion,” he advised, adding India’s reputation in world should also be revived by creation of more jobs.