Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi began with his two-day tour to the poll-bound Gujarat from today covering the Saurashtra and the South Gujarat region, which are set to face the election in the first phase on 9 Dec.
As per his itinerary, Rahul is scheduled to address five rallies and interactions today. He began the campaigning with the interaction with the fishermen in Porbandar than he will be visiting the Dalit Shakti Kendra to interact with the Dalits and accept the Tricolour flag. From there on he will be holding interaction with representatives from public health sector at Ahmedabad, then he will be meeting with the teaching community and last he will be addressing the Navsarjan Jan Sabha at the open ground in Ahmedabad.
Shri Rahul Gandhi ji will be holding sabhas in Porbandar and Ahmedabad today. #Congress_સાથે_ગુજરાત pic.twitter.com/coXkOh6cYL
— Gujarat Congress (@INCGujarat) November 24, 2017
After landing at the Porbandar airport Congress vice-president interacted with fishermen at Navsarjan Maachimaar Adhikar Sabha in Porbandar.
The VP visited Palghar Marine Engineering Works in Porbandar, and met with manufacturers of machine & boat parts. #Congress_સાથે_ગુજરાત pic.twitter.com/plOhMOX0CM
— Congress (@INCIndia) November 24, 2017
He then visited the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi, Kirti Mandir and paid a homage to the father of the nation. Visiting the temples and offering prayers have become a new trend for the Congress, as the party is trying hard to clean its anti-Hindutva image.
CVP Rahul Gandhi visits Kirti Mandir, the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi ji. #Congress_સાથે_ગુજરાત pic.twitter.com/VXr2SFvcBn
— Congress (@INCIndia) November 24, 2017
His temple visits are being seen as a soft Hindutva card being played by the Congress ahead of the polls in order to gain the faith of the Hindus as well, which seemed to be a little inclined towards the BJP. According to the sources, “The Muslim community is completely on Congress’ side of Gujarat. Therefore these visits are an attempt to come on par with the BJP so that the BJP’s attempt at polarisation is not successful.”
While interacting with the fishermen, Rahul hit back on the BJP government and Narendra Modi on the same issues of note ban, GST and the party favoring only a few industrialists.
During his address, comparing the works done by Congress and BJP, Rahul said that “Congress had given Rs 33,000 crore for NREGA. Narendra Modi gave the same amount for Tata Nano. You lost your land, water, electricity for Tata Nano. And now, you are telling me that you did not see Tata Nano anywhere. Are you driving Tata Nano? The truth is that if a big industrialist asks for money from Narendra Modi, he is ready to give Rs 33,000 crore to that one person. But if every fisherman approaches him, they will not even get Rs 300 crore.”
Assuring the fishermen community that Congress will take care of all their needs if voted to power, Rahul said that “Narendra Modi used demonetization to convert the black money held by many people into white money, but Congress will pay attention to all your needs and problems.”
Further attacking Modi and the Prime Minister only favoring the big industrialists, Rahul asked the fishermen that “Did you (fishermen) cause the pollution in the water bodies? No, the big industrialists did that. In the last few years, all of the work in Gujarat has been done for just five to ten industrialists and those industrialists contributed to campaigning for Narendra Modi later on.”
In order to win the faith of the fishermen in Porbandar, appealing for votes, the Congress Vice President said that “There should be a separate ministry for fisheries in Gujarat. And if Congress comes to power in Gujarat, we will do this.” He also asserted that Gujarat does not belong to five or ten industrialists. It belongs to the farmers and fishermen.
Taking a jibe at the monthly radio programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ‘Mann ki Baat’ the Congress leader mocked that “Congress party and I do not want to tell you our Mann Ki Baat. We want to hear your Mann Ki Baat. The Congress will win the elections in December. Our doors will be open for you when that happens. Your Mann ki Baat will be heard within those doors then.”
Addressing the gathering, Rahul Gandhi said that the fishermen had said that the fishermen also do the same work as the farmers and had demanded a different ministry for the fishery. He claimed that if the Congress comes to power in Gujarat, the party will fulfill this demand.
मछुआरों ने कहा था कि जो काम किसान करता है वही काम मछुआरा करता है, मछुआरों के लिये अलग मंत्रालय होना चाहिए और हमारी सरकार बनेगी तो हम ये काम करके दिखायेंगे #Congress_સાથે_ગુજરાત pic.twitter.com/OIbTuLk49i
— Congress (@INCIndia) November 24, 2017
Rahul is on a two-day tour of Gujarat ahead of the first phase of the assembly elections on 9 Dec. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also set to begin the last leg of BJP campaigning in the poll-bound state from 27 Nov.