Modi's promises 'hollow': Rahul hits out at PM on Rafale deal, PNB fraud

New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi while addressing a public rally, his first in the national capital since assuming the top party post, attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that the PM has made "hollow" promises to the nation.

He said as he travelled across the country, he witnessed that the people were not happy with the government at the Centre.

Hitting out at PM Modi on the Punjab National Bank scam, he said that money of the people of the country has gone into the pocket of Nirav Modi.

As he spoke at the "Jan Akrosh Rally", Rahul Gandhi attacked the Centre over the Rafale deal and PM Modi's promises to end corruption in the country. He said the prime minister bought the Rafale deal at double the price than the earlier estimate.

"PM Modi snatched away the Rafale deal from an experienced PSU like HAL and gave it away to an inexperienced private entity owned by his friend," Gandhi said.

Claiming that unemployment has reached its peak level, Rahul Gandhi repeated that demonetisation and "Gabbar Singh Tax" hurt the national economy.

Gandhi accused Union Minister Piyush Goyal of making dubious business deals benefitting companies linked to him through his position. 

However, PM Modi doesn't utter a single word on this, he said at the rally.

The Congress had earlier on Saturday demanded the removal of Union minister Piyush Goyal, alleging that financial deals of a company owned by him were a "murky saga of gratification, gross impropriety and conflict of interest", charges dismissed as "baseless and malicious" by the BJP.

Invoking the January 12 incident, wherein, four senior judges revolted against Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra, Rahul said under Modi's reign, even the Supreme Court judges have had to reach out to people for justice.

Continuing his tirade against the BJP, Rahul said RSS was slowly taking over the democratic institutions and destroying them from within while PM Modi watches silently.

Mocking Modi's "Beti Bachao Beti Padhao", Gandhi alleged that the members of his own party were assaulting women.

Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of compromising the country's defence and strategic interests, Gandhi said, "The Chinese are aggressively pursuing militarisation in Doklam. Despite this, all that PM Modi does is hold a 'no-agenda' meeting with the Chinese President". 

Sounding the poll bugle, Gandhi said only the Congress Party can support the farmers of India and protect their interests.

Congress united all sections of society, spread love in 70 years unlike the BJP, he said.

Rahul Gandhi also said the Congress would emerge victorious in Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh assembly polls and 2019 general elections.

"The Congress will win every election from now on and will also emerge victorious in 2019," he said.

The rally was earlier addressed by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh.

Addressing the rally, former Congress President Sonia Gandhi lashed out at the Centre stating that Narendra Modi-led BJP government has destroyed the Indian economy.

She attacked PM Modi saying roots of corruption became stronger in his regime. 

Gandhi said the BJP government was muzzling dissenting voices, weakening institutions, and dividing communities eyeing poll gains.

Asserting that the country was passing through a sensitive phase, Gandhi promised that the Congress will combat on behalf of people.