New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for blaming Jawahar Lal Nehru for various ills, saying he was resorting to such an approach to shirk his responsibility towards the people. In a swipe at the Centre for the Income Tax relief to the middle class, she said there were not many people who earned enough to pay taxes.
Only a small number of people earn enough to fall in the taxpayers' category, she claimed. Addressing an election rally in Chandni Chowk ahead of the February 5 assembly polls in Delhi, the Wayanad MP said Modi and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal blamed each other for constructing a 'Sheesh Mahal' and a 'Rajmahal', respectively.
The fact remains that both looted the people, she asserted. Attacking the BJP and the AAP leadership, she said leaders who blamed each other were actually shirking their responsibility towards the people. Referring to attacks by Modi on India's first prime minister Nehru, she said the prime minister should take responsibility instead of attacking his predecessors.
"Nehru had vision ... Nehru and Indira Gandhi established public sector units that generated employment," she told the gathering. People should be cautious of those who create differences to serve their political interests, she said. The Congress general secretary also attacked the BJP-led Centre over GST rates, saying there was GST on virtually everything, leading to people feeling a pinch in their pockets.
GST rates are also hurting small businesses and depriving people of fulfilling their children's aspirations, she asserted. Attacking AAP and Kejriwal, the Wayanad MP said the city government did little for people of the national capital when compared to the progress made during Sheila Dikshit's tenure as Delhi chief minister. Dikshit created infrastructure for Delhi but AAP accused her of corruption.
In the 10 years of AAP rule, the party could not prove any corruption allegation against the Congress government, Priyanka Gandhi asserted. She also took a swipe at the Centre for not mentioning inflation in the Union Budget, saying soaring prices were hurting the aspirations of people who wanted to ensure their children lived a happy life and had a secure future.
On employment, Priyanka Gandhi claimed thousands of posts were lying vacant in the central and the Delhi governments. She said the posts were being filled through lateral entry, with people getting jobs on contract.
