Modi hankering after power: Priyanka

May 2, 2014

Amethi, May 2: In a veiled attack on Narendra Modi, Priyanka Gandhi on Friday said there is a leader in the country who wants power for himself and makes repeated demands to strengthen him.priyanka

Campaigning for her mother Sonia Gandhi in Amethi, she also alleged that books with baseless material written about her family were being dumped a night before at places where her public meetings were scheduled.

Holding that the level of election campaign in the country has stooped down to a very low level, she said, “Politics is seen with a sense of service, but few leaders in the country do not think about that.”

However, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s politics was not that to demand, but that of a sense of service, she said.

“He wants to give you strength. He also wants to give you power. There is a leader in the country, who wants power for himself. He keeps on demanding to strengthen him...,” she said, targeting Mr. Modi.

“My father had a visionary political thinking and Rahul has learned from him. The parameter and strategy of Amethi’s development was prepared by Rajiv Gandhi 35 years ago, this is the reason barren land is not visible here,” she said.

Ms. Priyanka said that books containing false accusations against her family have been found at places where her public meetings have been scheduled.

“I have come to know that at places where my public meetings are scheduled some books are thrown a night before in which dirty and false things are written about my family.

Those indulging in such activities are cowards,” she said at Shahgarh Shaheed Chowk in Gauriganj Assembly area.

“If they have to say something, they should come in front of me and talk. Indulging in such activities at midnight is not justified,” she said.

Blaming Opposition for the absence of proper power supply here, Priyanka said her “hands are tied” because of a court case in the matter.

Addressing an election meeting attended mostly by women in Amethi, she said the party has made many efforts to provide 24 hours power supply but despite that it could not do so.

“Power supply is the state government’s responsibility. After Mulayam Singh government assumed power in UP, Soniaji and Rahulji approached him for continuous power supply in Rae Bareli and Amethi. Mulayam Singh decided immediately to provide power to these areas.

In a veiled attack on BJP’s Smriti Irani, she charged, “A candidate has come here. Her party people filed a case and got round-the-clock power supply stopped.”

“It was asked in the case as to what was special about these two areas that power should be supplied for 24 hours. That is why the case is stuck here and our hands are tied. Until the case is resolved, 24-hour power supply cannot be resumed,” she said.

Targeting women voters, she said, “This is election time and one should say what can be done for women empowerment.” She also said the election fight should be done on “principles” and it should be done openly and not in a clandestine manner.

In a bid to strike an emotional chord with voters, she said, “I will not ask for your votes. I want your love. You have stood by our side in good times and bad times. We will be with you all the time.”

“This is Amethi. I am coming here since childhood and I will keep coming when I will become old also,” she said.

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News Network
June 2,2020

New Delhi, Jun 2: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Moody's Investors Service downgrading India's sovereign rating to the lowest investment rate and said that the global rating agency has rated his handling of the country's economy "a step above junk".

"Moody's has rated Modi's handling of India's economy a step above JUNK. Lack of support to the poor and the MSME sector means the worst is yet to come," the Congress leader tweeted citing a media report on Moody's downgrading the nation.

On Monday, Moody's downgraded the country's rating to "Baa3" from "Baa2". This comes at a time when the government is facing criticism from the Opposition over its handling of the COVID-19 situation and measures to boost the economy.

The government has already announced a stimulus package of Rs 20 lakh crore to deal with the situation.

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News Network
June 8,2020

New Delhi, June 8: Only 20.26 lakh migrant workers of the targeted 8 crore such labourers have received free food grains in May and June (2020), according to data released by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.

In the middle of May, as part of the Rs 20 lakh crore Atma Nirbhar Bharat package, the Modi government had announced that migrant labourers who are not covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) or any state-run PDS scheme, will receive free food grains for two months.

"Non-card holders shall be given 5 kg wheat or rice per person and 1 kg chana per family per month for the next 2 months. About 8 crore migrants will benefit from this scheme that will cost the government Rs 3500 crore,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said at a press conference following PM Modi’s announcement.

But the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said on Sunday, "The states and UTs have lifted 4.42 LMT (lakh metric tonne) of food grains and distributed 10,131 MT of it to 20.26 lakh beneficiaries."

It added, "The Government of India also approved 39,000 MT pulses for 1.96 crore migrant families. Around 28,306 MT gram/dal have been dispatched to the states and UTs. A total 15,413 MT gram have been lifted by various states and UTs". The state governments, the ministry added, had distributed only 631MT (metric tonnes) of gram so far.

Because of the constant movement of migrant workers, the Centre had said that the states will be responsible for identifying the migrants and subsequent food distribution.

The Centre claims it is spending approximately Rs 3,109 crore for food grains and Rs 280 crores for grams/chana under this package.

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Agencies
April 24,2020

New Delhi, Apr 24: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has termed the government decision to freeze Dearness Allowance of Central government employees for a year as "insensitive and inhuman."

The former Congress President in a tweet said: "Lakhs and crores are being spent on the Bullet Train and New Delhi's Central Vista which should have been suspended, but the government has deducted DA of Central government employees and pensioners... It is insensitive and inhuman."

"The tragic part is that by deducting this amount from January 1, 2020 up to 30th June, 2021 for a period of 1.5 years, the government of India proceeds to deduct almost Rs 38 thousand crore from the income of these middle class government employees and pensioners, who rely completely on the pay and pensions that they receive," said Randeep Surjewala, chief spokesperson of Congress.

There are about 50 lakh such serving government employees and about 62 lakh pensioners.

"Even more tragic and objectionable is the fact that the government of India has not even spared our armed forces. The government has deducted Rs 11 thousand crore of the 15 lakh serving armed forces personnel and nearly 26 lakh military pensioners. What is their fault? They are serving the nation in times of all types of crises," said Surjewala.

The Congress alleged that the government did not spare the savings scheme.

Instead of curbing the wasteful expenditure, the government has been constantly hitting at the income of government employees and the middle class, it added.

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