BJP says 'Make in India', but buys from China: Rahul Gandhi
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took a swipe at the BJP saying, the party says 'Make in India', but its government at the Centre buys from China.
"Facts don't lie. BJP says: Make in India. BJP does: Buy from China," he said in a tweet along with a graph showing comparative volumes of imports from China during the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance's tenure and the current BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government.
The graph shows a rise in Chinese imports under the current dispensation.
Continuing his offensive against the government on the LAC standoff, Gandhi also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi when and how he will throw out the Chinese army from Indian territory.
"The entire country knows that China has snatched India's sacred land. Everyone knows that China has transgressed into Indian territory at four places in Ladakh," the Congress leader said in a video message ahead of Modi's address to the nation.
"Narendra Modi ji, please tell the country when will you throw out China's army from India's territory and how," he said in a video message.
"Hope the prime minister will definitely agree to these suggestions in national interest. This is true national service and patriotism," he said in a tweet in Hindi, sharing his video message.
Gandhi has been attacking Prime Minister Modi and his government over the India-China border standoff in eastern Ladakh, that led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers in a violent clash between the troops of the two countries on June 15.
Targeting the prime minister over the Chinese incursions in Ladakh, he has accused the Modi of "surrendering" Indian territory”.
Modi, in his address at the all-party meeting earlier this month, had said that no one has intruded into Indian territory and no one has occupied it.
The former Congress president has been attacking the government on the 'Make in India' initiative, alleging that it has "failed" to yield results.
In the video, Gandhi said COVID-19 has destroyed India's economy over the last three months and the entire country knows this.
The biggest blow has been dealt to the poor, labourers, middle class and salaried class, he said.
"We have given some suggestions to the government. The first is to implement an income guarantee scheme for six months, and not a year, and directly put Rs 7,500 per month in the accounts of the poor. This will lead to creation of demand and revival of the economy," he said.
The Congress leader said the government has not heeded to this proposal. Not once but three to four times, they have refused to implement it, he said, noting that the reason they give is that there is no money.
"I want to remind the country that the government waived of lakhs of crores of tax liabilities of the 15 richest crony capitalists and in the past three months the government has consistently increased petrol and diesel prices on 22 occasions.
"There is no shortage of money. The government has three lakh crore rupees, with which it can implement the Nyay scheme and directly put money into the accounts of the poor," he said.
Gandhi shared his video message on social media minutes before the prime minister's address, in which Narendra Modi announced extension of the PMGKAY, a free ration scheme, for 80 crore people across the country till end of November.
Under the scheme, five kgs of wheat or rice and one kg of pulses per month will be given free of cost to the poor. The scheme was initially rolled out for three months.
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