BARPETA, Dec 12 - Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today lambasted the Narendra Modi-led Government at the Centre for �its failure to fulfil its pre-poll commitments.� Terming the present Central Government pro-corporate, Gandhi quipped: �Modi thinks that two or three industrialists represent the whole nation and he works only for them.�
Addressing a large public rally at Medhirtari in Barpeta district, the Congress vice president said that Modi�s speeches before the last Lok Sabha election differed from place to place. �What he said in Assam was different from what he said in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar or Rajasthan. But what was common in his speeches was the promise to bring back black money, and employment generation,� Gandhi said. But it is a matter of regret that not a single penny has been brought back, nor a single youth has been employed under any scheme initiated by Modi, he added.
Referring to the North East, Gandhi said that though Modi promised to grant this region special status, he only terminated the provision introduced by the previous UPA regime.
While terming the BJP as a communal force, the Congress leader maintained that his party only believes in the development plank and prosperity of the poor.
Mentioning the Bihar poll debacle of the saffron party, Gandhi said that the voters there rejected the BJP as they did not want to be cheated again.
The AICC vice president claimed that the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress Government had restored peace and established an environment of love and amity among the people of Assam. �There has been all-round development during the last 15 years. As peace is a precondition to development, it will certainly get expedited in the days to come,� Gandhi said. He also lauded Gogoi for making about 30 lakh women get access to banks through self-help groups.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, APCC president Anjan Dutta, ministers Dr Bhumidhar Barman, Chandan Sarkar and Rakibul Hussain, Mousam Nur, the MP from Maldah in West Bengal, also spoke in the meeting.
The entire Barpeta district turned into a fortress as security was tightened. Gandhi arrived here around noon, two hours behind schedule, and set off on his padayatra titled �Sampriti Jatra� from Dakshinhati Dalan in the vicinity of the historic Barpeta Satra towards the Medhirtari High School field. Thousands of people from Barpeta and neighbouring districts gathered in front of the Satra and the roadsides to have a glimpse of the Congress leader. Gandhi was accompanied by several party leaders, including MP Gaurav Gogoi, in the 7-km distance covered during the padayatra.
