Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh) [India], April 13 (ANI): Union Minister Anurag Thakur took a dig at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's promise to eradicate poverty in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
"Four of their generations were busy increasing the number of poor in the country and now they are snapping fingers. Because of their family's finger-snapping, the poor in the country became extremely poor. But when Narendra Modi became the PM, he brought 25 crore people above the poverty line," Anurag Thakur said while speaking to ANI in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh.
Earlier this week, Rahul Gandhi, during a public rally in Rajasthan, highlighted the promises made by the Congress party in its poll manifesto and said that they would remove poverty from the country by transferring Rs 1 lakh into the account of one female from a poverty-stricken household, which comes out to Rs 8,500 per month.
"The Congress Government will transfer Rs 1 lakh (in a year) to the bank account of one woman of every poor household in the country...If you are below the poverty line then every year, Rs 1 lakh (Rs 8,500 per month) khatakhat khatakhat aata rahega aur ek jhatke se hum Hindustan se gareebi ko mita denge," Rahul Gandhi said.
The Congress leader also attacked the BJP and said that farmers are asking for a minimum support price (MSP) for their crops, youngsters are seeking employment, and women want relief from inflation, but no one is listening.
"The 22 people are more wealthy than the 70 crore people of India. Farmers are demanding MSP, youths are in grave need of employment, and women are asking for relief from price rises. PM Modi straightaway declines to give MSP, calling farmers terrorists. Farmers are giving tax for the first time in the history of India."
The Congress party released its manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections in Delhi on April 5. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Sonia Gandhi, and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi were also present at the event.
The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases starting April 19. Nearly 97 crore voters are eligible to cast votes in the general election. The counting of the votes will be held on June 4. (ANI)
