Mendipathar (Meghalaya): Congress president Rahul Gandhi, on his second visit to poll-bound Meghalaya, hit out at the BJP-led Central government on Tuesday, alleging that it “actively” participated in corruption by allowing bank-loan defaulters Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi to escape the country.
Mr Gandhi is on a two-day campaign trail in the north-eastern state till Wednesday with roadshows in Tura and Shillong and a rally in the Jaintia Hills scheduled on the last day of his visit.
The Congress chief also criticised the Centre’s offer to beautify the churches and religious institutions in the Christian-majority state and claimed that of late, there had been a “tremendous increase” in the discrimination towards and humiliation of the Northeast people.
“With the Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi scandals, we know that the government not only cannot remove corruption, but it is also actively participating in it,’’ he said.
“This government has, instead of giving hope, security and economic growth, dealt us only with hopelessness, unemployment, fear, hatred and violence,’’ he added.
Taking a jibe at the Centre over diamantaire Nirav Modi fleeing the country, Mr Gandhi said, “I would like to request (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji, on behalf of all of us, to bring back the other Modiji, when he goes on another of his many foreign trips.
“We will all be very grateful as a nation to get our hard-earned money back.’’
Continuing his attack against the BJP, the Congress president said, “I know they (BJP) have lots of money as some of the richest Indians, including perhaps those who have run away with money stolen from Indian banks, are their supporters,’’ and urged the tribals of Meghalaya to teach the saffron party “a lesson’’ in the February 27 state Assembly polls.
