Pumping up the heat before the Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Congress President Rahul Gandhi launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday saying he projected himself as a ‘chowkidar’ but never specified as to whom he was serving.

“It is now clear that he is a ‘chowkidar’ of an industrialist. Modi took him to France to sign the Rafale fighter jet deal and transferred Rs 45,000 crore in his pocket,” alleged Gandhi while addressing a public rally in village Mania in Dholpur, the stronghold of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

Rahul also questioned the central and Rajasthan governments on the initiatives they had taken for the welfare of the poor, small traders, and farmers in the last four years.

“The Congress-led UPA government introduced the Right to Information Act, loan waiver of Rs 70,000 crore for farmers, midday meal scheme for schoolchildren and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act scheme for the unemployed poor. Rajasthan’s then Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot introduced a scheme for free medicines to the poor.”

“Now, I question Modiji and Vasundharaji — what did you do for the poor, farmers and small traders in four-and-a-half years?”

Gandhi alleged that under the present government the doors of banks were closed for farmers but billionaires and industrialists were getting loan waivers totalling lakhs of crore rupees.

“A few of the richest billionaires were given loan waiver of Rs 3.5 lakh crore. These include Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. Modiji gives money to people like Nirav Modi….”

Mocking PM Modi’s slogan ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’, he said that it should be changed to ‘Beti Padhao aur BJP MLA se Beti Bachao’.

“Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath tried to protect an MLA accused of rape by a young woman. Even the Prime Minister maintained silence and never dared to ask his party to sack the MLA,” said Gandhi.

Talking on the attacks on north Indians in Gujarat, he said, “The BJP-RSS should be made to understand that no one has benefited from dividing the nation. Hindustan wants to grow but with love and harmony.”

He also brought up the issue of unemployment and reminded his audience about PM Modi’s promise for jobs once the BJP came to power.

“But it was a false promise. (When Congress comes to power) we will ensure that people get jobs.”

The Congress President said the new government formed after the Assembly elections will listen to people’s ‘Mann ki Baat’ since the present one discusses its own ‘Mann ki Baat’ and is on its way out.

“The new government will be of Congress workers, the poor, the farmers… the doors of the Chief Minister and Ministers will always remain open for the people,” he added.

(With agency inputs)