Panaji (Goa) [India]: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who was on a day-long visit to poll-bound Goa on Saturday alleged the BJP-led government in Centre is “attacking” small and medium businesses and empowering ‘richest’ businessmen. “The government of India is handing over the country to a few limited businessmen. Their plan is to attack small and medium businesses and to empower the richest and powerful sectors,” he said. He claimed that the “lives of millions of people is being destroyed systematically”. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi promise of ‘achhe din’ (good days), Gandhi said, “The PM said ‘achhe din’ will come if BJP comes to power, but he did not tell you whose ‘acche din’ will come.” “If you would have asked who he is talking about, he would have replied he is talking about Adani and Ambani,” he said. “If airports, ports and coal hubs belong to Adani then what Goans are going to get?” Gandhi asked further. Slamming the Centre over unemployment in the country, the Congress leader said “when youths are unemployed today, and BJP leaders only give long speeches.” “Today I asked Chidambaram Ji about the ways to provide sustainable jobs to Goa. He said that by making Goa an educational hub, health care hub, tourism hub, Goa’s youth can be offered jobs,” Gandhi added. He recalled that under the UPA regime, Congress brought Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) 2005. “PM Modi called it worst scheme. However, the Centre still uses the scheme.” “This time, I’ve told Chidambaram that the Congress party should work on the basis of what is in the heart of our workers. There are two fights – one at the national level and the other is the fight of Goa which you know better than me,” he stated. The Congress leader also congratulated every party worker for fighting against the ideology of BJP and fighting for public issues. “I want to promise Congress workers and people of Goa that defectors won’t get any space in the party,” he added. Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister and All India Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee is also in Goa and interacted with party workers and the fishermen community here on Friday. Assembly polls in Goa are scheduled to be held early next year. Goa Assembly has a strength of 40 members out of which BJP currently has 17 legislators and enjoys the support of legislators from Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), Vijay Sardesai of the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and three independents. GFP and MGP each have three MLAs. Congress, on the other hand, has 15 MLAs in the house.
