'I felt that the idea about putting money into bank accounts of the poor was a right one if implemented with sincerity'
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday said his idea for a minimum income guarantee scheme for the poorest of poor came from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Rs 15 lakh promise' made ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Gandhi said the Congress' poll promise for the ambitious 'Nyay' (Nyuntam Aay Yojna) under which Rs 72,000 will be deposited each year in the bank accounts of 20 per cent of the country's poorest is 'historic' and claimed that the prime minister looks 'shaken' ever since the announcement was made on Monday.
Accusing Modi of helping certain industrialists, Gandhi said he protects the rich while refraining from helping out the debt-ridden farmers, adding “this 'chowkidar' is a thief”.
On the contrary, Gandhi said his party bats for the poor, the weaker sections and the farmers.
"The 2019 polls are a fight between two ideologies. On one hand are the BJP, the RSS and Narendra Modi and on the other is the Congress," he said.
Gandhi was on a day's visit to Haryana to be part of Congress state unit's ongoing six-day lone “Parivartan Yatra”, which began from Gurugram earlier this week.
Gandhi said unlike the BJP his party keeps its promise and referred to 'Nyay' the Congress plans to introduce if it forms the government.
"He(Modi) promised putting Rs 15 lakh into every Indian's bank account. Did anyone get anything?" he said at a public meeting in Yamunanagar district's Jagadhri town.
"Truth is when our Government is formed we will put Rs 72,000 a year into the accounts of 20 per cent of the country's poorest. Modi spoke lies about putting Rs 15 lakh into every Indian's bank account, However, I felt that the idea about putting money into bank accounts of the poor was a right one if implemented with sincerity.
"I caught hold of this idea. I spoke to Congress party's thinktank and told them about Modi's Rs 15 lakh promise and said he did not fulfil it, instead what he did was to do injustice to farmers, hit small shopkeepers with demonetisation, and brought Gabbar Singh Tax," Gandhi said, adding he told the party's think tank to come out with a scheme to benefit poor and they worked out the modalities in six months.
Gandhi was referring to Modi's 2014 election speech when as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate he promised to bring back black money stashed in foreign banks within 100 days of coming to power. Modi had also said that if all the black money was brought back to the country, it would be enough to deposit Rs 15 lakh in every poor person's bank account.
"It(Nyay) is historic, so much historic that you must have seen Narendra Modi's face on TV during the past 2-3 days, he looked shaken”.
Gandhi also accused Modi and BJP of spreading “hatred and anger” and putting “real issues” on the backburner.
"In the last five years, Modi ji has waived Rs 3.50 lakh crore of 15 industrialists.
“Narendra Modi protects the rich, Modi gives justice to rich,” he said.
Gandhi also said that 'anyay' or injustice had been done to farmers, poor and weaker sections and added if Congress forms the next government at the Centre it will give “nyay..we will give justice to the poor, farmers, labourers, small traders...”
"During the past five years, Modi has made several promises to the people of this country. Wherever he goes, he spreads hatred," Gandhi alleged.
Gandhi asked party workers to fan out in every nook and corner to apprise the people about the minimum income guarantee scheme.
He also attacked Modi on the Rafale deal issue alleging irregularities in the procurement of the jet fighters from France.
“He (Modi) used to say I do not want to become pradhan mantri and I want to become chowkidar. He used to say 'Achhe din ayenge'. These days a new slogan is running. 'Chowkidar chor hai' (watchman is a thief)," said Gandhi while taking a dig at Modi.
