Sharpening her attack on Narendra Modi government’s “anti-people” policies in Gujarat, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Monday accused it of indulging in “hera-pheri” (wrong-doings) with central funds.
“The UPA government has given sufficient funds for several schemes on agriculture, development, water harvesting and land improvement projects to the state,” she told an election rally in this town of Patan district in North Gujarat.
“According to news reports, ‘hera-pheri’ (wrong-doings) are going on (in Gujarat). We have known about CAG reports (talking about corruption). There is large-scale corruption in Gujarat,” Ms Gandhi said, days ahead of first phase of Assembly polls.
“Sixteen per cent of the funds we have released under JNNURM for Gujarat had been spent in only one constituency of Gujarat. I don’t need to name this assembly constituency, as you all very well know...You tell me that isn’t gross injustice to the other parts of the state?” she asked.
Ms Gandhi was apparently referring to the Maninagar constituency in Ahmedabad city from where Mr Modi is contesting the elections.
The Congress chief during the poll campaign earlier had slammed the tall development claims of the state government, saying that it is nowhere to be seen as promises made by the government were “hollow and false”.
On Monday, she accused the state government of adopting anti-people policies.
“The UPA government had waived loans of farmers, besides giving them other facilities, then why the farmers in Gujarat are still under debt...The answer to this question is explicit...The policies of the Gujarat government are ‘jan virodhi’ (anti-people),” Gandhi said.
On the law and order situation in the state, she said, “Due to pathetic law and order situation, people are feeling unsafe..We will have to bring about a change in that”.