Rahul Gandhi in Madhya Pradesh: Congress chief asserts party alone can generate employment, doesn't make false promises

Jabalpur: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over unemployment and assured youths that his party alone can create jobs for them. He was addressing a gathering at Raddi Chowk at the end of his 8-kilometre roadshow in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur district. “We brought green revolution, white revolution, computer revolution. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan have made false promises,” Gandhi said. “I can assure (you) with full confidence that the Congress alone will generate employment for the youth. We don’t lie. If we come to power, we are going to provide employment,” he added. “We don’t make fake promises. If we make promises, we stick to them,” the Congress chief asserted. Gandhi alleged Modi wants to create “two Hindustans” — one of wealthy businessmen like Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi — and another for the poor and weaker sections. “We say no to this as we want one Hindustan in which the fruits of progress are reaped by the poor, farmers, labourers and small shopkeepers,” he stressed. [caption id=“attachment_5332311” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Rahul Gandhi greets people during a roadshow in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. PTI[/caption] “Modi ji with Make in India, Start Up India and Swachh Bharat has ruined the county in the last four and a half years,” Gandhi claimed. “Modi ji and Shivraj ji promised to generate employment but they did not deliver the goods. You relied on them. Now rely on the Congress. We don’t believe in making fake promises,” he said. “Modi ji in his public meetings promises to give Rs 15 lakh, 20 lakh and 30 lakh. We will speak the truth. With enthusiasm, we are going to accomplish our promises,” Gandhi said. Earlier, as part of the roadshow, Gandhi moved in a vehicle through the main thoroughfares of the city. Hundreds of people who had lined up along the route showered petals. At Model Road, Gandhi was taken aback when a balloon, released to welcome him, exploded with a loud sound. Earlier on Saturday, Gandhi started his 8-kilometre roadshow after paying obeisance to the Narmada River, with hundreds of posters dotting the route terming him a “Narmada bhakt”. The Narmada River is revered by the people of the state and thousands of them carry out its “parikrama” (circumambulation) as a holy ritual. Gandhi on Saturday kicked off his roadshow by flying from Dumna Airport to Uma Ghat, named after Union minister Uma Bharti, on the banks of the Narmada and performed “aarti” amid chants of “Jai Narmade” by party functionaries. Gandhi, after performing puja and giving a gift to a young girl seated on a stage, began his roadshow from Abdul Hamid Chowk. A party functionary was seen handing over a yellow envelope to the young girl as well. The route of the roadshow covered three Assembly constituencies, namely Jabalpur West, Jabalpur North Central and Jabalpur East (SC) seats. While two of these seats are held by the BJP, the third has a Congress MLA. Gandhi, during his campaign in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, has been dubbed a “Shiv bhakt”, following his return from the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage, and a “Ram bhakt” after visiting Satna and Rewa districts of the state. Pursuing what observers believe is a “soft” form of Hindutva, the Congress last month announced that it would build gaushalas in every district of the state if it attained power. Besides this, state Congress chief Kamal Nath has promised that, if voted to power, the Congress government would develop “Ram Gaman Path” in Satna district where Rama is believed to have wandered while on a 14-year exile. Madhya Pradesh goes to polls on 28 November while votes will be counted on 11 December.