In an interaction with traders in Davangere (Karnataka) on his Jana Aashirwada Yathre, Rahul Gandhi failed to answer questions and also lied profusely. While commenting on the default of loans by a company connected to Piyush Goyal (which was a shoddy hitjob debunked by us) and Nirav Modi (the scam that leads one to the Congress doorstep), Gandhi said this would happen if institutions are not respected. He said that the scams were happening because the government was not respecting institutions.
He claimed that removal of Raghuram Rajan (Who is now likely to be questioned by CBI for the 20:80 Gold Scheme that favoured 13 big companies including Mahul Choksi’s firm) had led to Nirav Modi fraud. [ From 16:10 ] ‘You have no idea what is going to happen to the banks in the coming months. You have no idea because what is being done is that every institution that supports the structure has been demolished. So, Nirav Modi is just the beginning, Piyush Goyal is just the beginning. You will see what is coming now.’
He went on to say [From 17:00] ‘We respect institutions. We defend institutions. Public doesn’t quite understand this. Public thinks so what, demonetisation kar diya, Raghuram Rajan gaya, to kya hua. Nirav Modi ho gaya. Hoga there is no other alternative.‘ According to Rahul Gandhi, an RSS person sits in every minister’s office and gives orders about its functioning.
Rahul Gandhi mentioned that the notification on fake news issued by Smriti Irani (which was later withdrawn) was to ensure that anyone who opens their mouth would be forced to shut. [ From 20:10 ]. Rahul Gandhi fails to differentiate between fake news and freedom of speech.
On a question regarding loss of jobs due to the digital economy, Rahul Gandhi did not provide a clear answer to the question. Instead, he took the opportunity to criticize the government on GST and demonetisation. He offered to keep his doors open to small businessmen for hearing their views on policies if he became Prime Minister in 2019.
Transcript of this part of the conversation is reproduced below [ From 5:40 onwards in the video ]
Person in audience: My question is how digital India is killing our business and jobs? Due to these PayTms, Amazons, and Flipkart are losing our retail jobs and also businesses. So, if and when, how in 1999 (he meant 2019) our Congress-led government would tackle this?
Rahul Gandhi: What do you think is the idea behind, idea and force behind these things that are happening. For example. How do you view demonetisation? How do you view GST? Or whose actually, or what power behind, GST and demonetisation and similar ideas Amazon. Who do you think is behind this.
Person in audience: Multinational companies, they started this. And again these companies are losing our businesses and also jobs. So how the 1999 Congress government is going to tackle this? Will it put an end to Amazons and Flipkarts and once again rejuvenate our retail businesses?
Rahul Gandhi: You mean 2019? (person confirms) . The point that the gentleman raised. The basic idea today in India, this is something that BJP government strongly believes in. So, the entire focus of government policy, the banking system and everything should be given to top 15-20-30 big business. If you look at the GST which we call the -Gabbar Singh Tax. There are completely two visions of GST. Our idea was a simplifying GST. And our idea of GST where you would have a single GST. You would not have a 28% tax. We would take the maximum amount of items out of the GST net that poor people would use and we would simplify this structure. [..]
On the digital economy. You can see it both ways. The digital economy can harm you. The digital economy can help you and it all depends on how you think about policy. The basic thing I want to ask you, how do the top 15-20 business people, every single one of them can walk straight into the PM office and Jaitley’s office. How many of you can walk into PM office or Arun Jaitley’s office? No one. So the main point is that your voice is not heard by the political system. The biggest 10-15-20 people’s voice is heard every day by the political system. [..] You people’s don’t have access. So my idea for 2019 is when Congress government is in Delhi, you people can also have access.
The Congress president who claims that his party was the harbinger of technology to India failed to explain as to how technology could be used for creating new jobs in the place of those which were lost. Instead, his entire answer was anchored on GST, demonetisation and rich businessmen. The Congress president who had earlier confessed ignorance about NCC and dodged a question on governments divisive policies in the education sector has now taken to blatant lies and fear mongering.
