New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led NDA government over national security and its bid to claim credit for the UN listing of Jaish chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.
Speaking exclusively to CNN-News18, Gandhi said, “Can he (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) explain what he did to protect the CRPF jawans (who were killed in the suicide attack in Pulwama)? How can he talk to us about national security? Who sent the terrorist to Pakistan? Did Congress party pay JeM (Jaish-e-Mohammad) money? No, it was the BJP minister. We caught the terrorist and the BJP released him."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the United Nations' decision to list Azhar as a global terrorist was a "big victory" in the fight against terror, and claimed that it would serve as the first step in his government's plan to end all terror acts aimed at India.
"From now on, whenever the country faces danger of any kind from anybody, we will enter their homes and eliminate them. If they fire bullets at us, we will fire bombs at them," he had said at an election rally in Jaipur.
On May 1, the United Nations Security Council had designated Azhar as a global terrorist. India has claimed it as a big diplomatic win for its efforts to get the Jaish chief listed under the Sanctions List in the wake of the Pulwama attack in Jammu and Kashmir in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
Claiming that the Congress had the best track record in national security, Gandhi on Saturday said, “We are the ones who brought peace in Kashmir. In 2004, we were handed over a burning Kashmir. We strategically worked out plans and broke the back of terrorism, but Modi (again) opened the doors for terrorists."
The Congress president, who was campaigning in Sultanpur, expressed confidence that people would vote against the Modi government because he had not delivered on his promises.
“There are no calculations here, I am saying this by hearing the voice of the people. 'Jis taraf unki awaaz hoti hai, us taraf jeet hoti hai'," said Gandhi, adding that the Prime Minister Modi had not fulfilled his promise of providing jobs to the youth. On the contrary, unemployment was at an all-time high in 45 years, he said.
Gandhi then discussed how his party’s promises were more workable and deliverable in contrast to the BJP’s.
Further, hitting out at the PM for disappointing farmers and small businesses, Gandhi said, “He (Modi) is losing and he knows it. His voice waivers when he speaks and his confidence is dwindling. Tele-prompters come to his rescue. That’s because he has lied on all promises. We said we can’t give Rs 15 lakh, we can give Rs 3,60,000 in five years. We can give employment to 22 lakh youths. We are saying this after making calculations."
Calling the current dispensation a corrupt one, the Congress president questioned the government’s decision to award the Rafale deal to the “bankrupt and debt-ridden Anil Ambani", who has no experience in aircraft building.
When asked working tirelessly for months ahead of the election, the Congress president said the essence of the country was such that it pushed him towards it.
“I go for a run in the morning. I am holding meetings and campaigning the entire day, but I don’t get tired. This is how Hindustan is, it pushes you towards it," Gandhi said, adding people of the country understood the language of love and its institutions.
Stating that the Constitution was framed with a lot of affection, he said he wanted to protect it.
In the run up to the Lok Sabha election, there have been personal attacks on him and his family members by BJP leaders. Gandhi said, “Personal attacks strengthen me and allow me to react with love."
As far as Uttar Pradesh was concerned, the Congress president said he had set three goals party general secretaries Jyotiraditya Scindia and Priyanka Gandhi. “To defeat the BJP-RSS, protect the ideology of the Congress and enter the Vidhan Sabha," he said, while leaving for another day of tireless campaign.
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