Kozhikode: Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, accusing him of being the instrument of a select group of wealthy businessmen in the country.
Gandhi asserted that Modi's primary role was to divert attention from pressing issues, shield India's richest businessmen, and forgive their bank loans. The sitting MP from Wayanad alleged that Modi served as a tool for "five or six of the biggest, richest businessmen in India". He claimed that Modi has given around Rs 16 lakh crores to 20-25 people in the country.
Gandhi criticized Modi for neglecting crucial issues such as farmers' struggles, unemployment, and rising prices. He was addressing party supporters and a large crowd during his roadshow at Kodiyathur.
Touching upon the contentious issue of electoral bonds, Gandhi labeled them as a form of extortion orchestrated by PM Modi. Gandhi used the Malayalam term 'kollayadikkal' (looting) to describe electoral bonds. Accusing the BJP and the RSS of attempting to dismantle and alter the Constitution, he asserted that this was the central issue of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with all other concerns stemming from it.
Embarking on a massive roadshow from Kodiyathur, Gandhi was joined by hundreds of party workers and supporters who fervently ran alongside and ahead of his vehicle. Alternating between sitting atop the SUV and standing out of its sunroof, he continuously waved at the throngs of people lining both sides of the road. Carrying placards adorned with his photo, his supporters demonstrated their solidarity throughout the procession.
Gandhi, vying for re-election from Wayanad, made his second visit to the constituency since the announcement of the Lok Sabha polls on April 15. Earlier this month, he had inaugurated his campaign in Wayanad by filing his nomination papers and staging a grand roadshow. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Gandhi secured a resounding victory in Wayanad, winning by a record margin of 4,31,770 votes. Kerala's 20 Lok Sabha seats are scheduled for polling on April 26.